Desperate Days
by Overunderman
Summary: Tom's hit rock bottom. His girlfriend's cheating on him with his best friend and he needs a rest. He decides to take some time off at his "secret" place. There, he finds the last person he was expecting, but it just might be the turnaround he needs.
1. Chapter 1

Tom woke up with heavy feet, being weighed down by some invisible force that made him move like a snail in slow motion. The underworld was burning bright, the fresh screams of the damned doing little to quell the nerve of the demon prince. It was early morning by his kingdoms clock, which of course meant that it was the dead of night up top. While everyone was sound asleep Tom was brushing his fangs and teeth with the conviction of a man on death row, which he might as well have been on. Being such an early bird meant that Tom would always do his duties around the kingdom first and then spend the rest of the day slacking off. Only there wasn't any work to be done. This was one of his few days off as prince. Then why did he feel so down about today?

Because without work he had little excuses to avoid Star and Marco, that's why. His girlfriend (well, okay: „girlfriend"), and best friend had become like the plague to him. He hated seeing them, not that he would ever let them know, and talking about them felt like verbal holy water. Feeling the will get sucked out of him, Tom slumped down on his bed. How did it get so bad?

With that one upping half-Mexican human coming back, that's how. He was getting out romanced by a scrawny teenager who didn't have a magic bone in his body. That wasn't his only problem though. Star wouldn't shut up about him not caring enough about the Monster cause, unaware that he knew such things were always hopeless. But he had to care ever since Eclipsa came back to the throne. Star's mom went missing too, which meant she was always a bit on edge except, of course, when she was with Marco.

So Tom went along with it with as much false conviction he could hoped that once this was all through he would still be dating Star, something that day by day was getting more out of reach. He sighed internally.  
This all felt like a cruel joke. What really made his blood boil, is that Tom had NOTHING to do with any of this. Never did he actually do anything that brought any of this into place. He was just watching a play and he hated the plot and actors. He would leave, but that would be a prime way to never get a chance with Star again. Did he even want it anymore? He honestly didn't know.

Tom's eyes went around his room wanting to find something to take his attention away from it all. As his eyes went pass all the demonic decor in his room, he landed on his closet that was beside his bed. Its tall and dark frame was in fierce contrast with a small, pink picture taped to its door. The past sent a grand wave to Tom as he took it off and reminisced. It was Star and him, smiling together just a few years ago. They were at a carnival when they took the picture, Star said it looked perfect. It really was, for a different time. Tom put it back on as he slumped down again.

So he was at an impasse. A twelve-way one in fact. He simply didn't know what to do and, more importantly, he didn't want to do anything. All he wanted was to get back with his sweetheart, not get tangled up in a love triangle and political affair. Why did it have to be so difficult, the game of love?

Glancing at his clock and seeing it was 3 A.M on the surface, he figured he had five/six hours to kill before seeing Star. Seeing that he didn't want to spend it locked up in his room, he decided to go out to his favourite „secret" place. So he put on his lazy three piece suit and went off.

A ways away from Tom's castle, was a place that gave the definition of isolation. A small town with only one street and only one lonely resident per building. It was as empty as the souls that lived there. With a constant mist, it gave the feeling of an unknown threat always lurking behind the corner. The threat came, in the form of Tom stepping out of his carriage. Though it was morning, it was still drab to the point of numbness. Most of the passers by seemed to take on the depressing colors of their home, Tom the only one with skin that could be seen from a mile away.

In front of the demon prince was a grey store with its walls peeling off at the seems selling an assortment of bones from the recently deceased, but this did not interest him. It was what was in the back that he was after. When he entered, a small, six-armed creature with a round head and bulging eyes was behind the counter organizing its shelves. „ I'd like a look at your private collection, please.", Tom said without hesitation. His back turned, the creature spoke:"Look, I ain't takin' any more of you... OH! M-Master Tom! How good to see you!". Tom looked at him frustratingly: „So...". The creature jumped:" Ah! Of course you can have a look at our private collection, we even made some new acquisitions."

The creature took out a ring with a seeming dozen keys on it, picked the smallest one and led Tom down a hallway before the storage area. An inconspicuous door took the creature's key and opened to reveal a small staircase and sounds of music coming from the bottom. „I hope you enjoy yourself, master.", the creature then turned away back to the store. „I always do. I always do.", Tom mumbled as he went down. As he came closer, it all came back to him. The dirty music, the smell of cheap alcohol in the air, the fluorescent red lights that painted every corner into a small bloodbath. Like a home away from home.

Immediately as he entered, the atmosphere crept into his skin, as any good strip club should. But this was HIS. Ever since he found about it, he never let the owner open it completely to the public. It was a small and drab place full of small filth and cheap, so if he did, it would have lost all its charm. That didn't stop the five or so regulars from coming though, as they were currently drooling at a lumptiuos dancer that basically did acrobatics on the was the thing about the evil that dwelled here, there was nothing seductive about it, these were the bottom of the bottom, ugly and deformed beyond anyone's tastes. The demon girls, however, were wonderful. Their blood red skin, curved bodies and white hair would sway even the strongest man onto his knees. They were perfect spawns of the underworld. Perfect in that they could easily lure any man they wanted, their baroque beauty being too much for the weak to ignore.

As Tom wasn't weak, the girls didn't interest him. All he wanted was to sit back at the bar and drink in the dinginess of it all. With all his responsibilities and adventures, Tom didn't have somewhere to just be and rest. He quickly sat down:"Hey Jeeves, been a while. I was thinking about some bourbon mixed with red wine, gonna need something strong to wake me up." The bartender gave him his strange concoction which he downed immediately. „Sigh... You know what? Throw some tequila in there, I'm gonna be here for a bit.".

As the barman prepared Tom's next five drinks, the regulars were throwing coins at the feet of the dancer whose song was just finishing. She looked gleefully with her red, endless eyes at all her servants while she picked up coins from the floor with all the seduction of a deadly woman. She walked back, leaving the customers to pick up what little money they had for the next girl.

„Tell me, Jeeves, why do we have standards? If we didn't we'd probably find that the dirt ain't so bad. I mean look!", Tom gestured towards the dancer just as she went backstage,"We could have THAT! But nooooo. We gotta say we're better or worse than that and always go for the same thing every time. Maybe I should look for something new.", he said solemnly. The barman nodded. „Thanks Jeeves, you always know what to say." The barman nodded again. In fact, that was all he could do as his mouth was sown shut which made him quite the popular talker in the breaks between girls.

„All right, all right. I hope you guys are having a wonderful time", yelled the DJ into the microphone, which wasn't needed as the room was rather small with only one stage. „Now I want you to give it up for the new girl! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, The Witch Bitch herself, Janna Ordonia!"", as he finished a short figure jumped out from backstage, sliding on her knees to the tune of an aggressive rock song.

For the lack of a better word, Tom was in shock when he glanced behind him. As she got up, her full figure was revealed. It was definitely the Janna he knew, only dressed in an ocean green, two piece outfit that covered only her chest and crotch with red lipstick as the cheery on top. As she put her head up and swung her black hair back it revealed a mischievous smile like no other. Out of everything Tom thought he'd see, he wasn't expecting someone he knew, let alone Janna.

As the music picked up, Janna started to walk her high heels and look down on her happy consumers. She wasn't flashy, but every movement she made oozed dominance and danger. The eager faces of the crowd let her know it was time to pick things up. She started to do swings around the pole, almost in sync with the music. After that she started hanging off it for the fullest extent of showing her body. Her chest was quite nicely shown, even if she wasn't as big as her co-workers, with her top having a heart shaped hole to ease admiration. Drool was quickly dripping onto the carpet.

His interest peaked, Tom left the bar to get a closer look. When he got a place between the freaks around him, Janna had slowed down to a complete halt. The music was now slow and bluesy, Janna barley making a movement with her eyes closed and her back to the pole. Every little twitch she did made her audience jump, even the small drips of sweat coming off her body enough to satisfy them. Tom was mesmerized just as everyone around.

Then, with a big drop, the music became energetic again. Janna was now spinning like a madman, all her accumulated sweat getting showered on the pathetic demons that needed it. Round and round she went until she tired herself and had heavy breath. As she came to a stop, she finally opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was a mouth agape demon prince in the first row. Confusion came to her first, but that was swept away with an evil grin. As the coins came in, she bent down slowly and put her soft hand on Tom's chin. They shared a look that seem to last forever. Looking him up and down, Janna gave a quiet chuckle as she started to walk back.

Tom was still in inexplainable awe as the crowd went to the bar to drink all he ordered. It didn't matter. What he felt now was magical. It probably would have been more magical if it wasn't completely obvious he was pitching a tent just standing there.

„Backstage", in her tight dressing room, Janna was giving herself a couple of complementary looks in the mirror for a job well done. It almost made worthwhile the room she had to use, full of old clothes and being as dark as her sense of humor. Looking in the mirror, through the dark and worn out room, she saw a gentleman in a three piece suit giving his best attempt to seem cool by leaning on the door frame. She turned around and found that the prince was actually hot as hell, looking confused where to start their awkward conversation. So, Janna just patiently stared at him to make him feel even more uncomfortable.

-„So... How... Why", Tom's eyes darted around the room.

\- „What's wrong, pretty boy? Didn't get you that flustered now, did I?", Janna said sharply causing Tom to jump out of his daze.

\- „Okay, what are you doing here!? What happened that made you come here?!", Tom nearly screamed.

\- „What? I can't be here by my own choice, I have to be tricked into showing my body, is that what you're saying? Maybe I just like it here Tom and don't need your evil judgment to bring me down."

-„Well... did you?", Tom asked in even more confusion.

\- „HA! Hell no. I was doing some black magic ritual and old Spider-man up there got summoned in the middle of an important business meeting. It was either this or my soul and what's wrong with dancing?", Janna turned back to the mirror to get her messy hair in order,"Besides, I ain't here full time, just until I pay back that loser. Then I'm back on my witchcraft."

-„You sure? I mean, you gave quite a show out there. I mean, no offense.", Tom said clumsily.

„Don't worry, I know my own talents. You got really into it, Mr.I'm dating a magical princess.".

\- „Reaaaaly stretching the definition of „dating" there, Janna.".

-„You and Star going through a rough patch?".

\- „If you can call it that. I just needed to chill a bit, so all I wanted was to sit at the bar."

\- „So you're an alcoholic, good to know.", Janna said as she picked up some clothes and went behind the changer.

-„Pfft! As if! You know what it takes to make me drunk? You humans are just weak."

-„You wanna test that?", Janna spoke from behind the changer.

-„ Not really. Don't want to get you into any trouble. We're a bit more hardcore than you expect."

-„Well, all I'm hearing is excuses."

\- „Look, Janna I came here out of curiosity, not to be lectured on partying."

Janna than poked out from the changer with her signature beanie and a skin tight t-shirt:"And it's a good thing you came! Because now I got a couple ideas what you could do for me If I don't tell Star."  
Tom chuckled:"What are you gonna tell her? „Hey Star during my part time stripping job I totally saw Tom and he was getting all frisky.".", Tom said trying to imitate Janna's flat delivery.

„Or, I get footage from the new security camera by asking the manager. I bet he'll say yes because I've been such a good girl while working here.", her grin came back.

Tom wasn't hit with realization, but conformation of suspicion. Of course she would blackmail him, it's Janna. But a light went up in his head and it showed: „You know what, Janna? I can't let you do that. So I have a proposal. I tell the guy upstairs that your debt is paid and you don't have to worry about getting groped every night for the small task of going with me on a walk." Janna raised her eyebrow:  
-"A walk? That's it? „.

-„Yup.".  
Janna thought it all out in her head, wondering just what this freak was planning. „Okay, Romeo, I'll go with you on a stupid walk. Just don't make it boring." „Oh, don't worry about that.", Tom said almost mischievously.  
~

„Is this what you wanted?", Janna said sarcastically and with a bit of disdain. „Why, what's wrong with it?", Tom said as he looked off a ledge of a great mountain. He was standing at the very brink while Janna hung back a little. The duo had teleported here just a few minutes ago, and it definitely wasn't what Janna was expecting. Below them was the underworld in complete picture, everything from Tom's castle to entire rivers of flowing lava that went on for miles and miles. Janna, now wearing a leather jacket, a skirt and boots, thought that, on the whole, this was pretty lame.

\- „Didn't know you were such a soft romantic, Tom. You gonna take me out for a picnic next?", she said, but he only gave her a big smile.

\- „Didn't know you were so against nature, Janna.".

-„I'm neutral, it's just I like it more when it's about unfathomable horrors that the human mind can't comprehend."

-„We got tones of those! Look, by that skull mountain live tri-pedal frogs. And there, by that small river, is a place where a mating ritual happens between angular squids and shapeless leaches. And don't get me started on how many things we got imprisoned here."

-„So, wait, you wanna visit all that? How are we gonna do that in a day?", asked Janna with genuine interest.

-„What? You think we're here sight-seeing? No, we're here to catch a ride.".

„What ride...", Janna was cut of by an insufferable scream coming from above. Looking up, a giant flock of demented harpies were flying above their heads. „That ride.", Tom yelled to overpower the screams and wails of the winged beasts,"I wanna give you an aerial tour of the kingdom." Most of the beasts were different shades of green and had a few clusters of weathers covering up their bony bodies. „Are you crazy? When people say go out for a walk, they don't mean flying on harpies!", Janna screamed in frustration. „Didn't know you were such a coward.", said Tom as sweet revenge.

„You know what? Screw you. I'm not risking my life for a tour. You're on your own.", Janna then started to walk away. „Sigh... If we must.", thought Tom. With conviction, he forcibly stomped the ground once with his foot. The ground shook a bit. Janna stopped in her tracks. Ten feet away from her, a giant crack formed in the narrow ledge and she felt it ever so slightly splitting apart. Feeling pure horror, she looked back at Tom who simply said:"We should probably get going."

Like death was upon her, she ran towards Tom at full speed. Tom whistled just as she was getting close. With both of them on the edge, the ground completely gave way. In desperation, Janna jumped into Tom's arms. In the same moment, Tom gave a leap of faith into the sharp rocks below. Jannas's following scream was both harrowing and short. She stopped when she thought that she should've been dead by now.

Slowly and with pure fear in her heart she opened her eyes. The cocky smile of Tom hanging onto the feet of a harpy was both the worst and best thing she could've hoped for. The mountain behind them, they made way for the flat lands. „See, nothing to worry about.", Tom said a bit too preemptively as wind started beating them down from the sky.

The harpy lost all control, now in a slow nose dive into the ground. „Janna, hang on!", Tom yelled no longer holding her with one hand. With it now free, he cast a cone of fire in front of them, but only made them go through a warm cloud still falling . „Okay, so I gotta focus. No problem. Probably", his thoughts came and went at the speed of light as they were getting closer. Eyes closed, he started to focus.

He imagined a quaint little town in the countryside, full of happy life and wonder it was. It was home to many and felt like home to many. On its open fields he saw children running full of glee to somewhere unknown. As he kept those images in his head, the picture made him sour and then filled him with disdain. Those beautiful children we're all running to embrace their loving dark skinned father just as his blonde wife came with food for all. To celebrate this quaintness, the husband and wife shared a kiss that could move the mountains of the...

With passion, he threw his flames onto to the ground to burn the town to ash. It hit the ground with such force and caused such a massive updraft that the three of them were catapulted into the heavens of hell. Like a rocket they flew until they stopped above the crimson clouds. Janna had been holding on for dear life the entire time. Feeling the soft breeze on her cheek, she opened her eyes again. Looking far across the hellish fields to the infinite horizon, she felt a joy she couldn't describe. Soft wind blew in her hair, cementing the peace she felt in her awe at the land below.

It was like the ultimate canvas. Mountains and lava lakes were all small strokes on it. Far away to not know the ugly details, but close enough to know that they are special. At this distance, everything was beautiful. The small mistakes faded away and became parts of a majestic whole.

All Tom did was look at her expression as they glided. It was the rare expression of joy and excitement that h had the privilege to grant. Tom was on the same level of high as her.

Janna finally looked up and locked eyes with Tom once here, forever seemed like such a useless word. At a loss, Janna just said:"You know, Tom... This is wonderful and all... But can you just walk me home? I think I've had enough of the underworld for today." „Oh... okay.", Tom said feeling surprisingly hurt. They landed on a small hill after an awkward ride down.  
~

On the meek Earth, the night was in full bloom, only the dim lights of the stars and moon to light the way down below. In the middle of a quiet suburb, a flaming portal appeared that gave way for Tom's duo stepped out of it:

-"Well Tom, that was wonderful and simultaneously horrifying and life threatening.", Janna said when she got off the steps.

-„You sound like all my dates.", Tom said flatly,"Well, at least you don't work for that slob anymore, so I guess we're even. See ya' around.", Tom turned around to get into his carriage.

-„WAIT!", the macabre girl said with a plea," I said you should walk me home, didn't I? And I got a long way to go, so why don't you give me some company?".

Out of all his confused expressions that night, this one was Tom's best:"What, you need me for protection? Is crime really that bad here?". His obliviousness did not amuse Janna:"Tom, just walk with me, I'm being nice. Yes. This is what it looks like. Saviour it.". Tom had a soft smile as he sent the carriage back home.

Janna lived quite deep in the suburbs away from town, which is why she always used it as an excuse when she was late for school. The area had much more green than downtown with a park every couple of blocks. It was quite breezy outside, more of a fresh spring than a silent autumn. If they both had to guess, they would probably say it was somewhere around half past 4. In the start, neither said much, probably because all their previous topics centered around striping and dare-devil stunts, which weren't around for their entertainment. Finally, Janna broke the ice:

-„So, what you gonna do about Star?", a small part of her always wanted to know other's problems.

Tom took a deep breath and exhaled heavily:"I really don't know. I guess just wait for the right moment to do something.", Tom felt a slight relief being able to tell someone.

-„You can't just wait for the opportunity! You gotta make it yourself! Be a man! Put Star in her place.", Janna advised with some sincerity underneath.

-„And how do you suggest I do that? The only thing off the top of my head is to challenge Marco to a duel to the death, and I'm not really keen on hurting her best friend."

-„Why? You could totally take him on. He's just a scrawny kid from California.".

-„Oh, please, you haven't seen with rock hard abs. I bet if he wanted he would've killed Toffee himself.".

Janna processed the aforementioned image in her head. After a bit fantasizing, she said: „Nah, I don't believe it. Marco's the type of guy to read romantic poems at night after a tough day. I doubt that he's some brave hero saving the world."

-„Well, you better stop doubting then, cause it's happening.".

-„Really? Hm, thought it was just a fad after he left Heckapoo's dimension." .

-„You know about that?", Tom asked as they both turned from the sidewalk into a park.

\- „Yeah, Marco wrote it all down when he came back in his dairy. Schmuck didn't know I'd been reading it for months.".

-„You really like pushing Marco's buttons don't you?".

\- „Well duhhhh", she mocked," but I do it as a friend. The more one friend spies on the other the better relationship they have.".

\- „Than you guys must've been some friends.".

-„We still ARE friends.", Janna said harshly making Tom jump a little.

\- „Okay, jeez. You're acting like I called him a thief.".

-„Oh, please, the only time he ever stole something was when a ladies wallet that fell into his backpack in sixth grade. He spent the entire day looking for her just so he wouldn't get in trouble."

-„How much do you exactly know about this guy?", Tom asked inquisitively.

-„You wanna know what he did with that pink dress Star gave him?", Janna said with a grin.

Throwing away the first reaction of repulsion, Tom said:"You know what? I'm gonna give a hard no on that one. So you even went through his „private" private life. You know if you told anyone else this they would swear you have the biggest crush on...", Tom stopped dead in his tracks as it all clicked. Janna took a few more steps before the shiver that went down her spine also made her stop.

It all started to make sense to Tom. The banter, the pranks, the hypnosis, all of it went over his head before. So he had an idea. If aerial tours weren't her thing, maybe Janna would find this amusing.  
Janna stood there just waiting for Tom to say something. Taking a breath to recompose herself, she turned around:"Why'd you stop?". Tom just stared at her with a sly look. Taking a gulp, Janna said with uncertainty:"What? You're deaf now?".

Tom broke the unbearable silence:"Janna, If anyone knows what crush obsession looks like, it's me.", Tom's stare went from sly to his own unique kind of evil. Janna started to sweat in the non-erotic way. He came closer until he was right in her face. He said with malice piercing Janna's long held veil:"So you like Latinos, who knew? Tell me , Janna, when you found out what he did with that dress was it just as a friend or was it for something more?" All three of his eyes were carefully examining her every strained muscle making her feel uneasy:"Well... I...", she muttered trying to say something clever.

Tom tried to keep the facade up, but he was struggling to withhold his laughter. Seeing her struggle to make a coherent sentence only brought out the funny side of him. Tom couldn't take it any more and burst into laughter, nearly writhing on the floor. Janna was somewhat relieved but still stood there blushing red as a tomato. „Oh, man you should have seen your face!", Tom finally said after losing his breath a couple of times in hysteria. „Not funny, Tom", Janna said bitter walking down the path.

After coming back to reality, Tom found himself alone. All he could hear were Janna's lonely footsteps overhead. She walked with her arms crossed down the dimly lit path. A pang of guilt erupted in his chest. „Hey, Janna, wait! I only said it as a joke! I didn't mean it!", Tom ran to catch up.

Still a few streaks of red on her face, Janna didn't say anything. When Tom finally caught her, he was spouting whatever apology he could think of:"Look, I'm sorry! I mean, of course, you can't have a crush on Marco, he's been your friend for years! If you did you would have done something by now!".  
As if someone cast a spell on her, Janna immediately stopped, all the red from her face gone. Seeing her saddened eyes staring at the ground made Tom realize how bad it was what he said. Janna exhaled and sat crookedly on a bench by the road. Tom joined closely in consolation.

-„You know if you could've told me that a couple of years ago I'm sure I wouldn't be moping right now.", Janna's soft voice spoke.

-„I'm sorry, Janna", Tom sounding as apologetic as he could.

-„No, it's fine. You're one of the few people to figure it out. Nobody thinks the girl who constantly pours buckets of water on another guy has a crush on him. You must be smarter than most.", the compliment meant nothing to Tom,"It's just it always seemed too complicated. I mean if you're a tween love just doesn't make sense. Why am I even telling you this?", Janna mumbled under her breath.

-„Hey it's okay if you wanna talk about it. I'm not the best psychologist but I know a lot of them, so I'll try.", Tom assured.

Janna sighed as she was about to tell a long story:  
"Ever since first grade when I meet him I always teased him, you know just pranks. But as the years went by it, I don't know, I just started to enjoy doing it to him more then others. I didn't know why, of course. Until one day love hits you with a baseball bat and leaves you dizzy. So I said:"You know what? I'm gonna have a crack at this." First I started to sabotage Jackie, his crush. In the process she inadvertently became my best friend, but who cares. Then I went crazier and crazier until Marco couldn't ignore me anymore. And it was all going great, I was friends with Jackie, I teased Marco daily and I thought when we got to high school, you know when we start living a little, he wouldn't be so safe anymore and we could have a shot at this relationship thing." Janna stared at the ground, knowing the story she wanted to tell wouldn't have an ending.

„And then a literal magical princess starts living in his house. I mean, how do I compete with that!? She can take him to different dimensions, and what can I do? I thought that he'd maybe leave it all behind and come back here, but I guess he's finally not a safe kid...", she trailed off not wanting to depress herself and Tom with her failed romance. She was starting to regret even telling him any of this.

Tom was searching for something to say, anything to brighten her day up. He couldn't bare to see someone like this, but he was always a bit too far from the right thing to say. He knew what she felt too well to lie to her. With his wandering gaze on the star ruled sky that would introduce the dawn, he spoke:

„I know how you feel. You wonder why you're not good enough for him. Why he moved on without a care for you. You wonder how it could have been different. You feel dissatisfied and get resentful at why he was so uncaring. So you try to hate him. But you can't. He was a part of you for a long time and who would really hate half their life? You know beneath all your reasons for hating him, somewhere unknown to anyone else, you have something that can't be killed. A passion that can't be destroyed by time. An ever burning fire that hurts you that you would never extinguish."

Mid-way through his speech, Janna looked up at him. He was calm, but she knew that the pale blue of the moon matched his heart. „You really are a soft romantic.", she said with a smile. Tom brought his look back down to her:"Eh, it's a hobby.". The both shared a smile together.  
A moment interrupted by a bright red light coming from the sky. The moon had gone completely red and sent a red hue down below.

-„Uh, what's that? I think I've seen it before.", asked Janna.

-„Oh it's Star and Marco's blood moon. It sometimes appears when they need each other."

„Oh.", Janna realized how awkward this must have made Tom. Eyes straight on the moon, she couldn't help but notice something strange:"So is that their star? Cause that one on the left's also glowing red.", she pointed to a star that was a few shade brighter than the moon.

\- „No, that's mine. Every powerful demon gets a star in the night sky as their own that they can get power from. I know, ironic, right?", Tom embraced said irony in his voice.

-„Actually, that's pretty cool." , Janna said with an unusual amount of cheer for her. Their smiles returned.

-„So what exactly does it mean?".

-„It means either they're having a moment or maybe Marco's in danger since it lit up for Star last time."

-„Oh, then I wouldn't worry. Marco always pulls through."

-„Yeah he always does.", Tom said with pride about his friend.

-„...Now if only he would pull through me..."

There was a second of silence. Followed by soft laughter at such a stupid joke. Both chuckling uncontrollably that they nearly forgot about the blood moon above. That was the thing Tom missed all those times trying to comfort some one. An imperfect joke for the perfect time. As they calmed down, they caught each other's eyes again. They didn't know what to do so they just sat there admiring. The red of the sky swiftly faded away, and the blue nocturne was on them again. Suddenly, they kissed.

Neither of them were were still, just savouring the moment. Their kiss made the breeze they felt as they flew come back. It felt special for some reason. They tasted each other for the first time. It was something else, something new. They couldn't help but get into it.

They started feeling each other out. Tom traced his small claws through Janna's soft cheeks and got lost in her hair. She felt his chest and just how well built he was. Their tongues started to play like two misplaced dancers. His long leading the way, and the path it showed was both loving and caring. He started to get closer to her whole body, getting a feel for her figure. Gradually he went lower and lower, preparing for the next step.

The hand that was starting to rub him downstairs let him in that he got beat. Barley breaking away, he whispered:"Thirsty, are we?". Janna gazed at his enlarging member hiding behind the black fabric. „And STARVING.", Janna emphasized as she let him go. She stood in front of him, bending down to give him another quick kiss. While her mouth was busy, her hands were slowly getting rid of his pants that were such a nuisance. Finishing with the belt, she pulled away and freed his manhood.

She didn't know what she was expecting. Maybe for it to be deformed or something. But it was normal. And as a bonus, quite large. Putting her knees on the cold pavement, she gave Tom's dumbfounded face a quick wink before getting to work. She stroked it and gave small kisses until he was ready for the real deal. Starting at the tip, she felt Tom's entire body stiffen as her spit lubed him up.  
Slowly sucking in and out, each breather she took gave her a look at Tom's flustered face letting her know she needed to keep going if just for more of it. Deeper and deeper, faster and faster she went until Tom had a hard time controlling his moans and his breathing became quick. Any second it seemed she would hit him in the sweet spot and make him scream his lungs out to the entire neighborhood. He was getting close, she could feel it. „Janna... I'm...", he barley said through gritted teeth which only made Janna give it her all the last few hundred meters of her sprint. Tom's body became so tense he even stooped moving, waiting for the flood. A great surge went through his body and he finally unleashed his all into Janna's mouth.

She wasn't ready for it, that's for sure, barley being able to guzzle it all down. She went up, nearly choking on her biggest job yet. Tom was similar, breathing like he had been drowning for two minutes, the closest comparison he could make to Janna's masterful work. Despite it, she found Tom pumped and ready to go right after, fully erect. Janna gave him a shocked glance. „Janna, I haven't had anything like this in a looooong time." Janna felt excitement having even a longer way to go. Knowing he still needed a break, she mounted him on the bench and gave a bit more tongue play. Her thighs rubbed along Tom's dick prepping him for the next act. Her jacket wasn't needed anymore, so she took it off and put it by the side. This gave Tom the perfect opportunity to feel her plump ass in all its glory. „Janna was on the edge and needed her dose.", was what he got from rubbing his fingers against her moist underwear.

Still not quite ready for the main show, Tom decided to give it to her in a another way. Freeing himself from her filthy mouth courtesy from himself, he held her up a bit. Just enough until he was at the level of her petite breasts. Pulling her shirt and bra up, her nipples stood fully erect. He started to suck on them,giving her quite a jump. He carefully went around her left breast and fondled the other.

Circling his long tongue around it, he squeezed it nicely earning a few meeps from Janna. Janna put a hand over her mouth to hide her shameful moans. Only now did she think that they were doing this in public and in the place she lived. She felt like she was walking on the thinnest tight rope and couldn't be more thrilled about it.

Such was her pleasure, that she nearly didn't even feel Tom with his one free hand start to take off her drenched panties. Slowly getting them through one leg and the other, Tom was ready for the main course. He looked up at her for a sign of conformation:"You ready?". Janna gave a little nervous nod. Stiff as he can be, Tom was ready to take the plunge. Like jumping from the highest point in the world, the danger was well worth for the high they both felt as they connected. Her walls hugged his cock making him feel a slight pain, she was that tight. Still, not like some of his other experiences.

„Not your first time?", Tom mind clouded in ecstasy to consider not asking such a inappropriate question. „No, that honour belongs to a guy called Oskar Greason.", Janna rolled with it as she struggled to breathe from such a shock.

Slowly, Tom began to thrust into her, Janna struggling not to make a noise. He kept up the same pace, still too much for her to handle. She completely let go of him, now both her hands covering her mouth, not knowing if the shame she would feel if they got caught would kill the moment or accent it. „Janna, how about we let luck decide what happens?", Tom begged to be let out of his cage. Janna gave another small nod, this time with more confidence. Rolling the dice, Tom picked up the pace, the slaps from him hitting her sex and cheeks making a fast rhythmic beat. Janna's moans filled the air, each a plead for more and more. Even though he was getting a bit tired, that didn't stop Tom from giving it his all before the finish line. Both now moaning uncontrollably and it echoing through out the park, the end was coming. „Janna...Get ready...", she barley made out as she was right beside him.

Giving it all in the last few pumps, Tom made way for the crescendo. In the same moment, both of them released whatever they had in the sign of lust. Janna felt herself get filled up to the brim and Tom a shower of her juices. Their last moans were as strong as their grip onto each other in that moment. Feeling like all the life was pulled out of her, Janna came off, sat next to Tom as they both took in what just happened. It was a strange relief she felt as he leaned her head on his shoulder.

-„Um, Tom?".

\- „Yeah?", Tom said through heavy breath.

-„Not to ruin the mood or anything, but we might have made a slight oversight by not using a... you know.", Janna said hoping she didn't just make the worst mistake of her life.

-„Oh, don't worry. Demons can only be born through rituals, you're safe.".

-„Oh, thank God.", Janna said in relief.

Only there was something missing. The atmosphere afterwords felt a little too quiet. Like she was supposed to feel something. A sense that she was dirty. She should, she just fucked a guy in a park that she barley hung out before. But all there was was a feeling of strange comfort, and she couldn't put a finger on why.  
As for Tom? He didn't think anything. His mind was blank, free to take in his surrounding in new light. Like he had taken a soft drug, making him see everything with new eyes.  
As the night slowly gave way to dawn, the duo knew it was time to leave. Luckily, they didn't make that much of a mess, not anything that couldn't be burned away with magic. As they both put all their clothes back on, they stood parallel sharing one last glance. „So... I guess see you around, then?", Janna not knowing how to end their wild night together. „Yeah. See you around.", Tom said with pure contentment. Janna gave him an awkward wave before she ran as not for her parents to notice her gone.

He watched her run only thinking he was watching a majestic crow fly home. Maybe it was his hidden poetic mind talking or maybe it just was that. As the sun went over Echo Creek's small hills and shined on Tom's horns, the demon prince decided to go home. Not after a quick walk though, they're quite the givers. Each step he took walking the path he was reminded of something that needed to be fixed. It didn't matter. The sun was above and as long as it was there it could all be solved. For the first time in a long time, Tom walked straight as he did before and he promised he would again.


	2. The Least We Can Do Is Wave

A couple rotations of Earth passed since Tom and Janna's last encounter, things not changing much even after such a dramatic release. Tom hadn't heard anything from her, mostly because he didn't even have her number. She could've been having a grand adventure for all he knew. Him? Still on the gallows awaiting judgment, a small smile on his lips.

Everything kept ticking as it had been for the past few weeks with Star. Tom only now spent his time with her in more cheer as he didn't exactly know where this game they were playing was going. If ruin was the way, let it be filled with shallow laughter and insincere words! He felt an aversion to this burden, making their nights out more pleasurable than before.

These quiet breaks they had were few in the day. Star would spend most of her day looking for her mother, Tom governing his kingdom and in the small cross-over of their free time they would spend it together. Cafes, parties, nights on the beach were all part of this charade. For a moment, Tom felt he was on the up and up, even though it felt fake and a sheer drop fast approaching. To the practical observer, you could say that they were on the mend. Tom would debate you on it.

Such were Tom's introspections as he waited in a lounge in the Butterfly castle as the early sun rose. The lounge was quite large, as was to be expected, with purple, pink, gold and small doses of blue decorating his surroundings. He was sat opposite the windows on a tailor made leather sofa with a Butterfly crest pattern on it. He had ordered green tea from the servants. After taking a few sips, all he could do was stare into the steaming liquid. Questions popped up in his mind, just questions. Not the normal small feeling of dread that came with them. So many of them, shrinking time and maybe few answers. Maybe his reflection in the tea held the solution to his problems. Or maybe the big smudge that appeared above it.

„Surprise!", yelled a girl's voice as Tom was furiously tickled from above the chair. Before he started to cackle fully, Tom fell out of the chair onto the ornate rug. Just as his face hit the masterful etchings of it, he turned around, his hand out with a flame crackling in his palm. Through the fire, he saw the worried blue eyes of a familiar face.  
„Oh my God, Tom! Are you alright?", said the princess in worry. Getting up, Tom said:"Star, I'm basically immortal. I don't think a fall from a chair is gonna kill me." „Oh! Well, you know, just checking.", Star said trying to seem nonchalant. „But your outfit's ruined!", Tom's ripped t- shirt and long jeans had been victims of the green tea he ordered. Even though it was steaming, to Tom, it meant nothing. Outside of the refreshing heat of lava, he couldn't be bothered by anything colder.

„No, wait! I can fix this!", Star then started to mutter some words beneath her breath eyes closed. Tom only hoped this wouldn't be as bad as some other times she did magic without her wand. Her voice rising for the the end of the chant, Star placed her hand on Tom's wet clothes. A line of light was made around her wrist which traveled from her hand all around Tom's body clearing whatever stains there were.

„Hey, it actually worked! I mean...of course it was supposed to work.", she exclaimed. „Wow, you've gotten really good with this, huh?", Tom said in almost shock given Star's reputation for botched spells. „Yeah, it just gets boring having to relearn some spells again. Plus, I gotta do this weird mantra before I cast it! I'm going to say it's in French, just because it confuses me the most."

Star had been in a much better mood lately. She seemed like her upbeat self again for the past couple of days especially. If nothing else, seeing her happy only made Tom break through his doubtful mind. Smiles are rare in troubling times, every single one needs to be noticed like a chirping bird on a branch.

„So what we gonna do today?", Tom got excited for a calm day with his starship. „Yeah...Well that's the thing. I think we may have gotten a lead on where my mom is.", Tom nearly responded with disappointment to the best news. „Oh, that's great! What you find?". „Nothing much, something about a hidden kingdom in the sea. But that's about it. And that's my entire afternoon sorted, so I thought we could at least have breakfast!". There was a small frown inside Tom as he had hoped to spend the entire day with his dear. „Oh, yeah we can definitely do that!", he said with a slightly false and cheerful tone.

Not even a depressed bug could get past Star's empathic eyes:"Buuuut, I'm pretty sure we can do something else tonight! I doubt that this „hidden kingdom" is gonna be something special. So?" The kind act took Tom aback a bit, he couldn't name the last time she'd sacrificed something for romantic talk over a burning candle. „Oh! Sure!", Tom thought what outing was perfect for their recommunion, „I got it! I know ever since you went to Earth you like spicy food. Sister, what we got underground will melt your tounge right off! A new place opened a couple of day ago and I'm pretty sure I can get us the best seats in the house.", his pride showed through his words.

„Great! Is eight okay? Uph, then I'm gonna have to tell Marco to cancel his sword practice.", a familiar rodent snuck between her joyous mannerisms. „Marco?", Tom felt a hand bringing him back down to a burning earth. „Yeah? He's coming with. Right?", Star's smile died as if shot down from above. There was a short moment before Tom quickly said „Right." that spoke more that he ever could or wanted to.

It was the ignored part of his „plan" by his own choice. He would like to say that these past few days were between Star and him, nothing being further from the truth. Since his release with Janna he didn't see him as a bitter rival anymore , only as a better friend than he was. It's not that they weren't happy together, it's that whenever they walked Tom would always be a few steps behind.

Star focused her gaze on him revealing Tom a bad liar for a demon. Her voice was softer and caring as she grabbed Tom's hand. She felt how rough and unusually cold it was for Tom. „Tom, I know it's weird to always bring my best friend on our dates, but... The three of us barley get any time together. I just want to hang out with you guys and have fun.". Tom was halfway through thinking of a smart way out of the situation when Star started again:"And yeah I know we don't have enough alone time, but what can I do? Everything's been so busy. I thought not being queen would free me up. There's just SO MUCH to do...", Star didn't even pause for a response, just gripped his hand harder and came close,"And don't think for A SECOND I don't love you. I do. I really do. I just don't know HOW or WHEN to tell you that. I was thinking about doing something special for your birthday, going out to the club, dancing, having fun...", Star continued to trail off, her eyes now only going around Tom.

Just as she was getting to the next part of her personal diagnosis, Tom brought his other hand and clasped them together around Star's cold and sweaty palm. He warmed her like a fireplace, a sense of home calming her down. She stopped looking around or through him and saw him smiling true.

„Look, Star, it's gotta be tough for you.", he acted as the reliever,"This is a very weird situation you're in. I mean whose grandmother comes back three hundred years later, take her kingdom's throne and magic artifact and causes your own mother to disappear? It's gotta be strange. And stressful. If you need Marco and me we're both here to help. Remember that." The small clouds passed by and Star's smile came back shining a softer shade of light. Their eyes so close a small, delicate whisper of „Thank you, Tom." was like the soothing wind blowing the leaves of a lone tree.

„Oh, wait! We got a shipment of the best waffles in all of Mewni! Wait just one sec.", Star darted off out of the lounge and sped down one of her castle's many long halls. Tom was left standing there tealess. He gave a heavy sigh. Hopeless. It was all hopeless. Star was great at reading people, not dealing with them. The recommunion would have to wait.

Still, he swallowed whatever he had of his pride and continued the morning with the cheer that Star needed. They had a swell breakfast, talked a bit and even took a romantic walk through the Mewni countryside. Tame given their previous adventures, but sometimes the quiet moments are there to dull someone's aching head of anxious thoughts, which they both needed. As noon came, Star said her goodbyes and went through a portal in search of her mother. Tom gave his best wishes before going back to his kingdom.

There, the main problem of his predicament came alive again. Outside of his swirling thoughts about his relationship , which he tried his best to ignore, Tom had nothing interesting to do outside of Star and Marco. Sure there was business around the kingdom, but that was a routine. Thrill seeking lost its charm. If he was having fun without Star, how could anyone say he wasn't ignoring her? Tom himself was a reckless adventurer, always skirting round the edge of great danger. His last night out alone proved this. Anything like that again and Tom would be taking risks he shouldn't have. What were a few monster fights, anyway?

So he spent his day just slothing around his castle not doing much. A saviour came from behind his door. „Lunch's ready!", his father told him. „Coming!", Tom dropped his controller after playing some boring game for the past hour. His father and him sat down in an enormous dinning hall. The only reason it was like that was to fit Tom's mother inside, which sounded like a really bad „yo' mama" joke that he had heard hundreds of times. She didn't join them though as she was at a meeting with Eclipsa. It was just him seated on one end of a ridiculously large table and his father on the other.

As they dug into the their blood red stakes Tom's father out of the ordinary for their meals, started a conversation:  
-"Tom, I want to talk to you about something.", his words echoed through the hall.  
-„If it's „the talk", way ahead of you, dad.", Tom said not even looking up from his plate.  
\- „I don't doubt that for a minute, my boy. I'm here to talk to you about something much worse. Marriage. Specifically with Star.".  
Tom nearly choked on his steak as he heard this:  
-"W-WHAT!? Where is this coming from?".  
-„It's been in talks for a long time, son."  
-„ Really!? Guess I missed those family meetings!", Tom said in fury.  
His father stopped eating for a more direct conversation.  
\- „Look, Tom we have the opportunity of a lifetime here. Think how it would be if a demon prince married a magical princess. Those prudes up top never gave us much consideration. But with Eclipsa we could have something fantastic!", he then returned to eating.  
Tom shook his head at his father's proposals:  
-"You could have told me! What if, I don't know, I cheated on Star, what would you say then?", he said with gritted teeth.  
-„I'd say that I hope she was at least hot as Styx when you did that. Come on, son, this isn't some romance novel, we have to keep good relations to powerful people. And I thought this was perfect with how much you love Star." In a different place and time, maybe it was perfect. The idea now only felt like a voluntary prison.

„Dad, I don't think you give the best advice for my love life.", Tom scoweld. „You're right. As a political advisor though, I got some practice.", he then returned to eating his delicious ribs. Tom would have said something, but he didn't know if debating a human who managed to become one of the lords of hell on politics was the best idea. „Well...Well...Isn't Star a bit TOO YOUNG for marriage?".

His father responded with a dead eye look:"Tom. We're from hell. Morals aren't our strongsuit. And if you're really worried just make her sign a contract in blood to be married when she's of age. Just... Make sure she isn't a virgin when she does it.".

The last few words of his father were enough for him to lose his appetite. Maybe the meat he ate belonged to a betrayed lover just like him, why would he eat his best mentor? The king clearly saw how distraught Tom was. He needed to say something. Putting his utensils down and facing his son as best he could from his end:"Tom, listen. If you chose differently, I'll stand by you. You marry Star, I'll stand by you. This is your choice. Only you can decide what's best for you. And no matter what it is, I'll be there, okay?". „Okay", Tom said looking his father in the eye. Their normal lunch atmosphere returned there after. Tom ate only a few more bites of his meal.

Tom had a few more hours before they went out for dinner. All he could do was sit idly and think about what to do next.

He never thought about marrying Star, not really. He thought they would endlessly burn and not need a contract to cement their love. For all time they would wonder the dimensions, searching for new pleasure and excitement around every corner with each other by their side. They would plunge into the deepest depths together and fly like the birds to new heights. Free from everything, just their souls bound forever. Like an endless spring fling.

He hadn't imagined that dream for a while, it seemed to have been lost in time. But maybe this was the answer to his troubles. A fearless queen and ruthless king at the alter bound by the grace from above. Extreme, perhaps, but this new territory only excited Tom the more he entertained the idea. In unholy matrimony they would kiss and be bound for rule. He would be her man. A model for all others, her undying love keeping him strong. Yes. Yes. All she would need and want would be in him. He would come upon his blackened horse, sweep the beautiful princess of her feet and ride off into new conquests.

Who would appose them? They could rule the land as they wished. Raise their kingdom higher than the mountains, then bring it all down when it got boring. She would be the ultimate fem fatale, everyone loving her and fearing her at the same time. All in the name of their love, unending.  
There were more endless details that Tom thought of, far too much for anyone to document. It felt ideal. Everything feel right into place. It had gotten quite hard for Tom to just sit in his room, his blood pumping faster than even he could imagine. The universe was his target and he was going to have it. Being over the moon and all the stars in the sky, Tom literally jumped out his seat ready to fight existence itself. In the heroic pose he struck afterwards, his head was looking in the direction of his clock. He had been fantasizing for a couple of hours, apparently.

Hurriedly, he got his best outfit ready. Tailor made pants, leather boots, a white buttoned shirt, leather jacket and a steely eyed look made the perfect image in the mirror. But he had to collect himself, the buzz of earlier still coming down. He had to be realistic, not just fantasize. He would be there for Star, give her all he could and somewhere down the line their rule would be cemented. So he strode off out of his door.

~  
They had agreed to meet outside the abstract building which looked like some large spear-head like rocks had come from the ground to form its walls. It at least made it easy to find. Tom saw it clearly against the dimming sky as he rode in his carriage. It slowed down and Tom put on some final touches of cologne to get ready for his showing. The wood squeaked as they came to a halt, a small but regal staircase opening for the demon prince.  
He came out waiting to be serenaded by trumpets signaling his arrival. When he was met with dead silence, he thought he should've brought them as well. Standing and not reacting to Tom's grand entrance was Marco wearing his regular hoodie and jeans.

-„Hey, Tom. Wow, exactly on time. You've been using that scheduler I gave you?", Marco said without a hint of sarcasm.  
-„Yeah, it's great at helping me keep track of when's the next time I kick your ass in Mortal Kombat."  
-„We'll see about this Tuesday night, ombre."

Tom was so busy thinking about how he would ice Marco in their next match-off, he didn't notice at first another person standing a few feet behind him. It was definitely a girl, just looking around the grand hellscape out of pure boredom. He definitely knew her from somewhere... She turned around in reaction to his voice.

„Oh, yeah I forgot. Tom, you know Janna, right?". They froze on the spot as they caught each others eyes again. „Sorry to be so last minute, but she called me out of the blue that she wanted to hang out. You don't mind if she comes along, don't you?". Tom didn't even look at Marco, he just stared wide eyed at Janna as it became oddly hot for the demon. „Yeah, sure. Why not?", Tom walked down the stairs hoping each step would cause an earthquake to stop this torture. Janna walked up really wishing she wasn't wearing her hoodie as she started to feel like she was in a steam room.

They both stood a couple strategic steps apart, all that they could say to each other an awkward and slightly scared loud mumble that sounded like „Hi.". They just stood there watching each other try to survive this small panic attack. Marco was there in between, confused as to their stiffness. „Oh, I see what's going on here.", his words prepared the pair for their eventual fall into nothingness.

„You guys don't remember each other at all, don't you? Oh man, I feel you. One time I meet a guy outside of karate practice and couldn't even remember his name. I mean, it's funny now, but in the moment phew! Like walking on a tight rope, am I right?". Both of them internally agreed. Forget trying to break the ice, they were frozen inside it. Frozen figures unable to say a single word. „Well... since both of you suck at introductions so much I guess I'll do the honours. Tom, this is Janna Ordonia, extraordinaire! I won't you tell you too much about her just check your wallet at the end of the night. And Janna, this is Tom Lucitor, Star's boyfriend and secret fanboy of every boyband in existence."

„That was before I discovered melodic death metal! Stop saying that about me!", Tom's voice snatched the knife that was trying to cut the air. „Then why haven't you thrown away your merchandise?", Marco joked. Janna finally sighed in relief. This would hopefully last the entire night between them. Otherwise, this was going to be a long dinner.

The sound of the air itself splitting open stopped their banter. A princess in an ocean green dress came through the opened portal. Tom had an excuse to get as far away from Janna as possible. He ran up to her:"Star, you made...it.", He found that Star had a weak smile as he came closer. „You okay?". Star kept her plastered on expression:"Oh, I'm fineeeeee. Just a little disappointed that's all. That kingdom in the sea? Dead end.", she stared at the ground. „Don't be sad Star. Tonight, it's about us. I'm sure you'll find your mother another day.", he held her hand. She still forced a happy face.

Tom had to say something. „Hey Star!", Marco's voice came from behind. „Hey Marco! And hey Janna!", she brightened up a bit at seeing her friends. Guess he didn't have to say anything. „Wanna roll?", he said still softly holding her hand. They started to walk together towards the strange building. Marco and Janna went along too, the latter wondering just how she could get through all of this.  
„Was the sea kingdom interesting at least?" „Oh, yeah. Met the king of the sharks, a guy called Ben. He was cool.", were their last words before going through the door.

The best way to describe the interior was like if the home of a creative caveman was turned into a restaurant. It was huge, the angular walls feeling like the inside of a secret lair, quite perfect for the hellish world below. There were other aristocratic demons around all in fancy suits and dresses. „Gee, talk about overkill.", thought Marco as their clothes couldn't compare outside maybe Tom's. Who would wear a shirt and tie for spicy food? The hidden evil of the universe of course.

The four of them found a nice place on the right side of the building, a table designed like that of a diner, fixed to the wall. They could have taken any of the tables between the two large spires that provided as support, if not for the feeling that they came underprepared. Tom and Star sat together on one side which meant that he had to be opposite Janna next to the wall. No problem. Just ignore the girl you cheated your girlfriend with which you intend to marry. Even though he was struggling internally, he was still prince of the underworld so he couldn't feel afraid of anyone judging him here. No one would say a word to him, except the waiter that came to collect their order.

„Ah, Miseiu Tom, welcome to our humble abode. I see you have good company with you. Can I interest you in any wine perhaps?", the reserved looking pink demon asked. „Well I don't think any of them want any, right?". Marco refused while Star and Janna shook their heads. „Okay, I guess just water for now. So what do you guys want to order?".

Marco ordered some fish soup with all the spice in the world in it which gave the waiter a worried look. Tom ordered ribs of any kind as long they weren't cannibal. Not knowing what to order, Janna went for the safe option of pasta. Star didn't even look hungry, so she ordered the smallest portion of corn on a cob. They got their water as a question popped into Marco's mind.

-„Uh, Tom? Why was that guy French? Do demons even have nationalities?", this observation had fallen on Tom's deaf ears. He couldn't think of a satisfying answer.  
-„Guess he just likes being French."  
-„Yeah, but wouldn't it be more authentic if he was Spanish? Or hell, why not make it interesting? Go for Scottish or Irish.".  
-„Oh please. French is perfect for this place.", Janna interjected from beside Marco,"A fancy language meant to hide the dirtiness of those that speak it."  
-„A little insensitive towards the French, don't you think?", said Marco.  
-„Well I only meet one French girl and she was a real work of art."  
-„Who?"  
-„That foreign exchange student that stayed at your house."  
-„Genevieve? She is one of the nicest people I've met."  
-„She took pictures of you in the shower, Marco."

Tom laughed as Marco subtly went red in the face. Even Star made a small snicker. „Good to know, Janna." „I mean I have them if you want to compare from then to now.", Janna slowly raised her phone above the table. Marco jumped to grab it as the two had a small squabble. Star and Tom joined in a small laugh. After Janna gave up on exposing Marco multiple ways, Star had some thoughts on the French thing:

-„Janna, I think you're actually right about that. I mean every bad guy we faced knew some French."she spoke softly.  
-„Not everything you can't understand has to be French, Star.", Marco said.  
-„But it makes sense! Like that magician guy's name was like Robiespere or something."  
-„His name was Rob and he was a wizard from another dimension. Hey, I actually saw him when I came back home after the whole thing with Toffee."  
-„Uuuuuh, let me guess, selling magic wands, right?".  
-„Yeah. He was selling them to kids at the local toy store. Dude lost his job after getting exposed as a fraud."  
-„Tell me more!", Star said in glee.

And they continued into territory unknown to Tom and Janna about their adventures together. Clearly a them thing, they both didn't join in. Which meant having to acknowledge each others existence. Easy to do when you're looking at the pictures on the wall up and down multiple times to avoid eye contact. Still, they glanced at the other sometimes in the most uncomfortable way. Tom decided to avoid this by taking a refreshing drink of his water.

„And when that wizard grabbed his staff with both hands and the top just exploded!", that clearly wasn't happening as he nearly spat it all out,"Man, those tribes people we fought then were something else.", Star said vividly. „Yeah, but their war cries were super weird, especially their women.", Marco responded," It didn't sound like it was for battle, it sounded like something else. If you know what I mean.", Marco gave Tom a small nudge from across the table. The unintentional euphemism wasn't enough apparently as he had to give Marco's joke credence to stop it going any further. Janna just sat there feeling weird in the irony of the situation she was in, Tom as her unwanted companion.

Luckily, the chatter stopped as the waiter brought their food. „Bon appetit, my great guests.".

All of them dug into each of their respective meals. Their conversations continued. Janna and Star caught up with neither of them having the time to call the other. Tom and Marco kept to it to dumb hypothetical questions which entertained them way to much. In the kin of:"Would becoming a succubus be better than being normal?". Sometimes honest debate and sometimes just joking, they had enough ground to last the entire meal. This fortunately meant that Tom and Janna didn't have to say a word to each other.

A funny tangent happened when Marco tried his fish soup that was so spicy, it made him look like he was boiling and about to writhe in agony. Luckily it was just that, the cook obviously knowing the limits of the human body. It sent everyone into a giant laugh, especially Star who wheezed all the way through.

After about an hour of feasting, each of them felt slightly bloated. „Damn, that was good.", said Marco as he ate the last bit of food on his plate,"Tom, you sure know fine cuisine.". „Yeah, I know.", the food gave Tom a slight boost making the situation more manageable. „Well after that, we need desert!", Star said ecstatically, all her blues getting swept away during the course of the meal,"Tom, I know this is stupid to ask, but do they serve ice cream here?". „Yeah, I think you can get it at the other end of the restaurant.", he guessed. The spires were so large he could barley see across the room.

\- „Wanna get some ice cream, Marco?".  
-„Yeah, sure.".

They left the table. Which only left Tom and Janna alone. Saying nothing. Knowing what they did, to whom they did to and that they had just went to go get ice cream together. „Hi.", was all Janna could muster up feeling the shame seep in. Tom immediately grabbed her by the arm, she had a quiet protest thankfully, and led her into a maintenance hall beside their table and into a broom closet. Nearly pitch black, Tom snapped his fingers and made a small fire to illuminate his frustrated face.

-„What are you doing here!?", he said trying not to go over a whisper.  
-„Having dinner, I guess.", Janna said flatly.  
-„No, I mean, why did you come here!? Could you pick a worse time?"  
-„Was October better?", even though Janna felt awful given the situation, she still found it fun to provoke Tom.  
-„Stop getting all up in my grill, Fabio.", she scanned his outfit that put hers and others to shame, „All I wanted was to hang out with Marco, is that too much?"  
\- „Did you think Marco was going to take you to a demon restaurant? Of course it's going to be me! And if Star wasn't here, who knows what he could've found out."  
-„Well, it's a good thing you take your girlfriend out every so often."  
-„Thanks for the compliment.", he said bitter,"Now, we're probably going out after this and you can't be so flustered around me."  
-„Flustered? Oh, please, I would have a harder time hiding that with Alfonzo.", she defended.  
\- „Whatever, just stop looking at me like I'm your ex-husband. No, wait! I have a better idea! Hate me!".  
-„Sounds easy enough."  
-„No, really hate me. Think of me like I'm the most degenerate piece of trash in existence! They'll think we just haven't hit it off."  
-„Tom, even though I'm morbid as hell doesn't mean I can just hate someone out of the blue."  
-„Okay, you're needlessly cynical.", Tom insulted.  
-„I'm actually quite the optimist, people just don't look that deep."  
-„You wear the same clothes every day!".  
-„It's called having a brand, Tom."  
-„Your hair looks bad with the beanie."  
-„Wait, you think so?", Janna grabbed her beanie in insecurity.  
-„Ahh! Why do you have to be like this? You're ruining my chance with Star."

Janna's eyes went like a viper as she judged Tom. „Tom, there is only one person ruining your chance with Star, and it's not me.". She blew out his flame and left the broom closet. Leaving Tom alone in the dark only thinking:"I need a drink."

Tom found himself on the other side of the restaurant at a bar that was built into the very rocks. Everything from the shelves to the counter was cold stone. A small faceless bartender awaited his order. „Whisky, the best you got.", the bartender took a bottle off the tallest shelf and purred his drink. Looking around, Tom was astounded how well this part of the restaurant was hidden. He couldn't see the bar at all before. Neither could he see the large neon lights at the ice cream vendor left of the bar. Yes, such a class place served ice cream, who doesn't love ice cream? Only it was in the strangest flavours. Harpie sweat, vampiric blood and „forbidden fruit" were all labeled. Curiously though at such a strange place he didn't see the common thing he thought he would. Star and Marco were nowhere around. Looking back at their table, he only saw a bored Janna sitting there.

Taking his drink with him, Tom walked up to the fat, purple and multi eyed server at the ice cream bar.  
-„Excuse me, did you see a blonde girl and a guy in a red hoodie walk by here?".  
In a thick voice the creature replied:"Yeah, they went to the bathroom.".  
-„Both of them?", Tom's voice nearly cracked.  
-„Yeah, pretty sure."  
-„Well, thanks.", Tom said uncertain and afraid. Taking a deep breath, he went back to his table.

He tried to. He had to pass the bathrooms where he now stood like a statue. „Ah, what the hell! If I don't go now I'll have to go later, so what's the harm?", he thought as he changed direction. He gave the normal looking door to the male bathroom(there were about a dozen) a small push. It wouldn't budge. He gave it more force, but it refused to move. Even if the door had been somehow locked, he would have been able to break it through sheer strength. As Tom wondered how this could be, he started to hear faint noises from inside. Putting his ear against the door, he made out voices talking to each other.

-„Star, what are you doing?", he identified Marco's voice,"We can't do this! Tom's gonna kill us!"  
-„Marco, I NEED this! Tom doesn't need to know anything.", Star said in a hush.

„Star, this is a really bad idea.", Marco's objection was made null when Tom heard the distinct sound of kissing from the other side. It was quiet at first, then he heard small moans coming from two sources. That lasted a while and stopped. Someone was taking deep breaths and trying not to moan too loudly as a slurping sound came from somewhere else.

With his back to the door, Tom looked on in hopelessness. All he had was a sip from his drink to keep him company. He didn't need to see the end of the radio play, all he needed was to sit down. His legs felt too wobbly for anything else.

Janna had been impatiently waiting for this all to be over with. She didn't want to spend another hour trying to ignore Tom while a chatty Star took all her attention. Twiddling her thumbs, she saw Tom unfortunately coming back to the table. He had a very stiff walk as he came, all three eyes staring down. With a heavy sigh he sat down and put down his drink. He was searching for an answer again, this time not even any food on his plate to project his miseries onto.

-„Tom, you okay?", she said to the demon that refused to look at her.  
-„Yeah...I'm fine.", he said defeated, „Just, don't go to the bathroom anytime soon. Might... be a while.".  
-„What are you talking about?" , Tom didn't respond, he just stared into an invisible point indefinitely.

Janna pieced it together in her head. She scanned the area for Star and Marco. „No. They wouldn't do that. That's too horrible.", she defended her friends in her head. The picture of Tom glass eyed and miserable only reinforced it and made her realize she saw a heart get broken in real time. As if he sensed her discovery, Tom buried his face in his palms now that someone really knew how pathetic he was.

They would have gone on to rule as king and queen together in eternal love. They would spend their time together in matrimony. Why couldn't it be? They would spend their time together helping each step of the other's way. They would go on adventures together chasing pleasure everywhere it came. Why couldn't it be? They would fight whatever evil stood ahead of them. They would know each other as great partners through their entire lives. Why couldn't it be? They would be like this for however long it needed to last. They wouldn't kill their love for each other ever. Why couldn't it be? They would leave this place going as normal with the day to day ignoring the circumstances. They would leave with an ever present hidden glare that would plague them forever, getting together at their most desperate. Why couldn't it be?

-„This is all your fault.", he said under his breath. The dead silence made Janna able to hear it quite clearly.  
-„Excuse me?", Janna said in a mess of anger, confusion, and sympathy not knowing what was the appropriate response.  
-„If you hadn't come, they wouldn't have had the chance to be doing what they are.", he raised his head, a determined loathing on his face.  
Janna was still confused as he said this. Then started to boil in pure rage.  
-„You're blaming this on ME!? What's wrong with you?"  
-„You're what's wrong with me!", Tom stood up and slammed his fist on the table,"If it weren't for you, I'd still have a chance with Star!"  
-„You can't be serious.", Janna struggled to fathom and even chuckled a bit at Tom's rage,"What do I have to do with your love life? Except as an escape from it."  
-„Don't talk to me like that. You're one to talk with your hopeless attempt to get Marco back."  
-„What!?", Janna stood up to his level,"You think you're a master people reader, Tom? I think your current situation disproves that."  
-„Stop trying to insult me Janna and really think. Do you honestly believe he would give everything up just to come back? He can be a prince! He doesn't need Earth or you."  
-„Take that back, Tom. Or Star will be the least of your problems.", she hissed.  
-„Think for a minute, Janna. Star may have have chosen Marco, but Marco ALSO chose Star. You were free as a bird, and he went for the taken girl.", Tom said now with a prideful disdain.  
Janna came closer until they butted heads. „Sorry If I don't take insults seriously from Mr. Masculinity. Face it Tom, this was bound to happen. Star's only around you for pity. She thinks you're as bad as can be, but needs to be with so you don't annoy her day in and day out begging for another chance. You couldn't have failed worse if you tried.". Janna was starting to push it. Tom's eyes were turning a deeper shade of red as she berated him. Her sheer wrath in the moment made her ready to withstand whatever he had to offer.

„Hey, guys.", Star said standing with Marco a few feet next to them. Both of them changed their gaze to her making the strange nature of their showing apparent. They had gotten so heated, Janna had one leg on the table and was staring at Tom from above looking like she was getting ready to seal the deal. Everyone else in the restaurants didn't seem to mind their argument, Janna guessing they were more lax when it came to fights. This made them both cool down a little. „Man, wouldn't be weird if we saw you guys making out while we went for ice cream?", Marco forced a small laugh. His hoodie was curiously unzipped.

Janna tried to hide the truth by also sporting one. Tom however, spotted an opportunity he wouldn't miss for any he pushed Janna back to her seat, he went right up to Star and as clearly and concisely as he could he spoke:"Star, that's exactly what I did. Just a few days ago. I took her and I fucked her right in public while you were sleeping. And If I were honest, it felt fantastic beyond anything you could imagine. It felt like I dropped the dead weight I'd been carrying for a long time.", Tom said glaring at her with malice and evil while remaining as calm as he could.

„Heh... You really need to work on your comedy Tom, this isn't very funny.", Star said with no doubt shaking her voice. „STAR, look at me!", he commanded,"Do I look like I'm joking?", his dead eyes went through Star like the Sun through fog. She started to think he had a bit too much to drink, only he hadn't even finished a single glass. Needing an explanation, she turned to Janna for some sign of what had gotten into him. Janna was frozen still. She would have said something during Tom's confession, but all she did was stand there and wear her guilt like a prisoner wears a blindfold. Janna with her eyes wide and unmoving, Star then started to comprehend what Tom was saying, looking at both of them with shock.

-„Tom... You lying, back-stabbing, son of a!"  
-„ENOUGH! NOT A SINGLE WORD!", the room became blood red like his eyes as the very ground shook at Tom commands. It was as if he could have broken the very foundations of the earth, his presence was so powerful. Everyone inside started to run away in terror from the demon prince. Even Star never saw him this angry, cowering as he continued in a deep voice:" Star, why? Why!? Why do we have to do this? Why do we have to play this sadistic game of yours? Why can't you be honest with me? Day in and day out I feel like you're choking me. For what? I know I've done some bad things in the past, but Star I've changed. Or at least I'm TRYING to, at least I think I'm better than when I hurt you. All I wanted was to be acknowledged and you couldn't even give me that!"

Star's face was frightened to death, acting confused to Tom's anger.

-„Don't you look at me like that. You think I'm blind so I can't see you and Marco having your ice cream in private? No, this isn't even about just that, I knew it before. He told me, Star. He told me kissed you. I've known all this time and I STILL stayed with you. Because everything I tried was for you! Every therapy session, every stupid exercise to help me calm down, everything just so I could be with someone who gave me the light of day when others wouldn't.", Tom started to introspect as he spoke, these thoughts being hidden deep inside him all along, so when they finally surfaced he felt a great weight being lifted.

Free from his chains, Tom could finally make his choice. The atmosphere calmed down as all around returned to its undisturbed state. He closed his eyes and when opened again, were his own with a determined glare. The quiet settled in again, now even more tense than when Tom threatened to unleash hell itself on Star who stood petrified. Unabashed he came right to her face and looked unapologetically in her moist blue eye. „Star, it's over. For good. You can have Marco, just don't EVER put me in between.", Tom kept his dominating posture to make sure the message was burned into the princess's skull.

She tried to say something. A clump in her throat stopped her and made her tear up in pain. Not able to look at him for any longer with out his stare killing her, she ran off crying as fast as she could.

„Hey, Star, wait!", Marco chased her as Janna followed. Janna would have given him Tom a shove while she ran, as she had every right to, but the prince might have unleashed his wrath on her as well. It was the complete opposite. Tom didn't feel any anger, because he didn't feel a thing. He thought he should have, this was the big moment after all. What he actually felt was a painful apathy towards everything, including himself. Needing something evoked, Tom sat down alone at the table and finished his drink.

Janna and Marco followed Star outside to see the sight of her foot going in a dimensional portal that swiftly closed. Confused and furious , Marco could only direct it all towards Janna:

-„Janna! How could you!?", he said with passion.  
-„How could I what? How this my fault?", she snapped back at the repetitive claim.  
-„You could have stopped this from happening! You didn't HAVE to sleep with Tom."  
Janna felt the words more when Marco said them, she had previously only said them to herself after that night.  
-„Fine, it's my fault, I admit it. But then it's also all YOUR fault, Marco."  
-„How is this-„, Marco wanted to continue, but Janna's harsh glare made it clear what she meant.  
-„Okay...Look- Things have been complicated, okay? This all spiraled out of control."  
-„An that's an excuse for either of us? Cause things have been hectic back home as well, but you don't see me boning my best friend's girlfriend behind his back for weeks.", the poison from her words cut deep. Under normal circumstances, she would never say anything so cruel to Marco. This night had a shade of malice in its sky, however.  
-„If you were in my shoes, you would understand.", Marco tried to act rational.  
-„And it would be the same if you were in mine.", Janna responded harshly.  
„HOW!?", Marco couldn't take the grand standing anymore. „Do you have any idea what it was like when I came here? Star wouldn't even look at me, I was alone and was the laughing stock of the kingdom.", he started to pace around in frustration,"I thought that it was all hopeless, that I made the biggest mistake of my life. I had to scratch and claw my way back to her. Otherwise, she would never love me again. That she'd forget me and move on. All the time we spent together wasted for nothing. All alone. How are we in any way alike?".

He faced Janna, a tear in her eye and struggling not to break down crying as he narrated her life after he left. Marco figured it out and it only filled him with dread. „Janna?", he said not knowing what to say. „All it took you was a couple of years to figure out.", she said trembling. She immediately ran in a different direction from the restaurant. Marco took a few steps to follow, the last one putting him in a crossroads. He looked at Janna as she ran farther and farther away. With heavy heart, he turned around, took his magical scissors and went to find Star.

Tom had been walking on the hellish plane for a while now, trying to decide if he was free or not after what happened. Cause if this was what it felt like, it sure was overrated. There needed to be a button on the whole thing. Instead, he just felt lost not knowing where to go. Where could he go? All he did was for Star and she was gone. What now?

He was lost in endless space. He was free, yes, but what could he do? He lost the thing that guided him by his own choice and there wasn't anything to replace it. Everything he said came out unexpectedly, he had no control after he started burning the bridge. Not in his wildest dreams did he think he could act that way towards Star. Was this what he was actually like?

As he came close to a hill overlooking the restaurant and its surroundings, he saw a lone figure at the top leaning on the railing. The beanie gave it away. Tom realized he wasn't done with tonight just yet. He climbed the small hill, arrived at the top looking area and started his apology before he even saw her face:"In hindsight, I probably didn't need to mention... what we did that night.", the sky's timid crimson told that the underworld was soon going to rest for the night. It was silent as everything winded down and softer colors swept away the red hue.

„Sigh... Janna, I don't really know what to say other than that I'm sorry.", he was now side by side to the girl. She only looked out, turning her face away from him. „Janna?", he turned her around to find that she had been weeping and her mascara had started to run. „Janna, I'm sorry! I didn't want to hurt you!", Tom said in a panic.

-„No, it's not that.", she said still trying to shake off her misery, but only was saddened as she put everything into words. „Marco found out."  
-„Oh."  
-„Yeah.", she tried to laugh at the situation, but this was one thing she couldn't make funny,"Of course he didn't know. Why would he? Who would leave the person they love for adventures? I guess at least I don't have to pretend to be a big deal for him anymore.", she went back to sobbing.

Tom had to do something. The night couldn't end like this. He wouldn't let it. Looking at the sky for an answer, he finally found one after all his searches. Pointing his hand at the sky, a small spark appeared way above. This gave way to a large flame. Moving his finger around, the flame moved in accordance. The crackles that came from above made Janna lift her head up. Her name was burning in the sky. Her first name looked like a logo for a metal band while her surname was in the most beautiful cursive handwriting.

The flames then formed into herself as a burning figure in the night sky. She saw herself dance elegantly, comically fall over which gave her a small smile and then threw away all elegance as she flew in the sky like a bird in endless flight. She was reminded of the one experience which gave her the sensation, and turned her eyes to Tom. Not even a moment as they had locked eyes, they softly kissed.

„Tom, should we be doing this?", doubt crept into her mind. Tom didn't say anything at first. „I don't know. I'm pretty sure this is against any moral standard in the universe, but it doesn't feel that way. We both had a bad night. All we're doing is just numbing the pain a little. Maybe that's all it's gotta be. I won't tell you it will last, but if you want to spend time with someone who understands and just wants have fun, well then it would be my honour."

Janna didn't feel charmed, not at all, she felt like she found a home. So under dissipating flames they kissed not like partners but as lovers.


	3. Blue Is The True Color

The endlessly tall building stood in front of Tom, its large neon sign saying „The Infinite Hotel" reflecting a quiet shade of blue on his plain t-shirt and half ripped hoodie. It was the lone building in this dimension for as far as the eye can see. Tom entered the lobby that just stood at the bare minimum of quality, a depressing beige engulfing his eyes. Overdress he did not, if a bit above the standard of the small space he was in. He told the old man receptionist his business and he was given the number 24856 to work with. He entered the surprisingly functional elevator and had a quick think on his ride to the two hundredth and fortieth floor.

It had been a quiet week for Tom relatively speaking. Nothing drastic happened, no big fuss about his love life. Mostly because he had been basically cut out from Marco and Star's lives, but hey, it was an improvement. Tom wore a small badge of honor for not desperately calling her afterwards. Everything went by as routine in the kingdom. Tom finally had his alone time, although he sometimes felt a bit disturbed by the newfound silence.

The „relationship" with Janna had a slow start, they mostly just joked on the phone trying to ignore the repercussions of them going out. When Janna finally told them where they could meet again, he was both surprised and excited. Excited, since every time they got together a new rule had to be broken that would bring Tom back into the chaotic world, and surprised, because she had somehow managed to get a room in an infinite hotel with out his help. The hotel obviously wasn't the highest quality, but Tom didn't think she called him so they could get catering together.

Something bugged Tom, however. He felt like he was stuck. Not that he faced some great problem, just that he was waiting for something to happen. Like he was stuck in a chapter in a book wanting to turn the page. He didn't know if whatever Janna had planned here was the thing he was exactly waiting for, but he learned to reserve his judgement.

A loud ding finally sounded as Tom went out the elevator into the drab hallway. He knocked on door 856, heard no response and found out that it was completely unlocked. Entering, different shades of red inside came to be: red ceiling, bright red carpet, the walls having the pattern of a vertical gold pillar surrounded by red details.

As he entered the single room with its king sized bed, he heard Janna's voice come from the bathroom:"Oh, you're here! Make yourself comfortable and don't come in.", was the only thing she said to him. Tom took that as he should wait for her laying on the bed. „Didn't think Janna was so promiscuous.", he thought that they would have gone out a few times before this, either way it was fine for Tom.

He heard some weird chant come from the bathroom and felt a magical energy emitting from there, but he paid it no mind. With his head against the bed frame, Tom read through the hotel brochure waiting for this whole thing to start.

„Hey there, Tom.", a seductive Janna said. Putting the brochure down, Tom felt like he had seen a ghost. It was Janna. With long blonde hair. And blue eyes. Thigh high leggings, demon horns, hearts on her cheeks, wearing a green dress with the skirt just the right length to make his imagination run wild. „Tom, I know I've been a bad girl, treating you all wrong.", her voice was now as sweet as Star's,"I thought I'd make it up to you. It's been a long time since we did this. For the rest of the night, you can do whatever you want to me. All of this for you babe."

Tom's blood surged through his body, the mere sight making him wide eyed with lust. Not saying a word, he went up to Janna looking deeply into her eyes. Janna hoped that this was the right move, slightly trembling to keep it up in the fear Tom would just blast her there on the spot.

The idea just came to Janna out of nowhere yesterday. It was like a demented gift from above. She felt excited when she imagined the whole thing. A wild night with a demon prince as a soft princess. She made sure to rehearse it before going blindly in. When she looked at herself in the mirror back home, a bad portrait stared back. It wasn't her in the reflection and that exact fact turned her on so much. It was like wearing a new outfit for the first time, all she could do was beam with confidence at her sexy self. She rode the feeling all the way, treating herself that night alone in her room in the new costume. In the moment, however, her sexy self felt under threat by the flames of an even greater presence.

He gave her a passionate kiss as her fears were relived. They felt each other up and down, Tom on his way down on her backside. Suddenly, he grabbed her arms and put them behind her back. Out of thin air a molten mold of shackles appeared which cooled down instantaneously and bound her hands together.

Janna could feel the ruthlessly cold steel imprison her arms and started to panic. Tom switched from a passionate kiss on the beach to a soft one before bed to reassure her that he had no mischief in mind. As he danced in her mouth a small warmth went through Janna which made the cold steel easier to handle. A few moments later, she went back to her previous state while trying to find a comfortable position in her new bounds to no avail. Tom now went straight for her ass, slapping it with pride. As he squeezed it with his one hand, the other checked to see if Janna was as excited for this as he was. Oh, she was. Janna started to moan as he rubbed her clit up and down. Tom's hand was getting messier by the second.

Tom broke free from the kiss still holding onto her lower half. With his eyes he commanded the innocent princess and pushed her onto the velvet sheets, making Janna even more excited.

She laid awaiting her treatment as Tom moved like a hunter onto her body. Crawling up to her face, he kissed her once again this time with force and a dominating taste. His tounge going around Janna's mouth made her tense out of arousal. He gave her some air and went to work on her neck softly. Janna felt like she was at the mercy of a thirsty vampire, she loved very second of it. Not knowing if it was her vivid imagination, she felt a small sharp pain in her neck. Just barley piercing the skin with his fang, Tom drew out a drop of blood to lick off his teeth while smiling with a small evil. Under any other circumstance Janna would be frightened. Now, it only punctuated her want for Tom.

As he kissed the needle like mark on her neck making Janna moan in a sweet pain, Tom took his hand and ran it all the way down to her wet panties, rubbing her through the fabric. He started the journey again with his claw tracing the same path and cutting her dress in half up to the skirt. No bra it seemed. Slowly he started again. He placed small kisses all along her delicate body as he made his way to his prize. Janna shivered every time he touched her exposed skin like that.

Tom placed the last kiss on his mark. Even pink panties . Just like Star. He gave Janna a look to let her know he was about to dig in. He removed her soaked panties over her leggings and saw helpless pray before him. Without warning, he drove his long tounge in with as much force as possible making Janna jump. Then he calmed down, giving her a moment to appreciate the ecstasy. He went round and round until he hit the sweet spot. Janna's thighs clasped Tom's head as her body tensed. She wouldn't last long. She felt it. Her whole body was getting ready as her head was stating to go blank. She needed this. God, did she need it. She was at the finish line. But she didn't cross it. She was stuck in place. Everything wanted the tension to be over, but she writhed in her bonds wanting a final push.

„Huh?", was all she could think after such a pleasure rush as she looked at Tom below. He wore a sly grin on his face as he came up. „You said I could do whatever I want. Who said I'd let you cum?", the trickster spoke. Janna felt at the same time betrayed for her unpleasurable stop and immensely aroused as she found new evil in Tom to be the victim of.

„What the hell?", her thoughts came back to her,"Don't tell me he's gonna be such a tease.", Janna lied to herself. She calmed down still reeling from the blockade. Tom saw a quiet desperation on her face. So he started teasing her, slowly fingering her and watching her every desperate twitch in hopes of orgasm. Janna wished her hands were free, just so she could feel relief. As it went on, she tried to break free vigorously to no avail. She knew she would never do so, it just felt so perverse that she kept at it. „If...I could just... break free...", her thoughts engulfed in desire became disjointed and simplified. Tom stopped to Janna's dismay.

„You got a long way ahead of you.", he softly spoke and he unbuttoned his pants revealing his throbbing member. „Lets take it from the top, shall we?", he said as he knelt beside Janna's head. He grabbed a fist full of blonde hair and brought her face to face with her dream. She was given a bit free time to start her job. She softly kissed and licked it up and down getting it nice and lubed for her show. Tom didn't want to wait though, so as Janna was prepping he caught her with her mouth wide open and shoved all he could down her throat. Janna gagged as she felt it forcibly come down. Not even having time to figure out what happened, Tom stared quickly throat fucking her. The pace was relentless. Janna wanted to have a breather or something , but Tom wouldn't give. He kept the attack for a short while, before pulling out and leaving Janna gasping for air. In the moment afterwords all Janna could say was:"Why'd you stop...I could have taken more." She needn't worry, he wasn't finished yet, he just wanted to saviour this.

He started again, slowly this time, letting Janna dictate the pace. She wasn't slow or fast, but Tom could feel her hunger. Tom thought he was being a bit too merciful like this. As she was hard at work, Tom went back to his favourite plaything. He rubbed her clit just to egg her on as much as he could. Her whole body tense, still, she didn't slack on her front. Tom was getting close, she felt it as she picked up the pace a bit. All her might on it, she took entirely in as he filled her swallowed as much as she could, some of it dripping from her mouth onto the sheets. Tom stood there still erect.

He stroked his manhood using the leftovers from Janna's work as lube as he turned her over on her belly. He lifted up her short skirt revealing her drenched pussy waiting for him. Janna raised her ass in anticipation. While he was reloading, he continued his torture of that anticipation, fingering her gently as not to take her over the edge while he caressed her long hair. Ready to go, he let her feel his cock touch her entrance until she had to scream „Get it over with it!" in want. That would be giving her what she wanted, an impossibility for Tom.

Tom switched targets. He moved up a little higher to feel an even tighter entrance. Janna did a double take as she felt him. Mercilessly, Tom went in full force popping Janna's anal cheery. He could tell, it was like she was fighting him as he thrust in, the hopeless battle making Janna gasp in pain. This wouldn't deter Tom. As fast as he could he started moving in and out to the sounds of Janna shrieking and struggling in her bonds. Not a word from her, though. That's how Tom knew this is exactly what she wanted. „Tom...keep going...", she muttered destroying all barriers in Tom's mind making him excelerate. It was like her first time all over again. She felt weak and scared then, as she did now. But she gave herself to it this time, the helplessness an aphrodisiac.

Why did Tom have to do this? Why was he so cruel in their play? He honestly didn't know. It just felt right as he pulled her by the hair and thrusted into her. All he knew was that she and, more importantly, he needed this. He needed to see her like this. Like a submissive slut before him. He wanted to feel that with every fiber in his body. He wanted to feel her body shaking. He wanted to feel her body breaking under him all in the sound of mindless pleasure. To taste her blood in his mouth as she screamed his name. Anything less would have been a disappointment.

Not only was her body breaking against him, but Janna's mind was starting to go as well. Every step the way she found it harder to think as it all kept building inside her. She was beyond begging, she only lived for this unimaginable pleasure she currently felt.

They both were getting closer to the end. Tom was adding more force as he felt the build up. Janna only wanted herself to finish, nothing else. In unison, Tom unloaded his entirety inside Janna's ass while she came from the aftershock. Tom felt so knocked out that when he laid down, the shackles that held Janna went up in flames. It didn't matter much, Janna felt the life get taken out of her so she was just on the bed motionless. They both had a small breather in the aftermath, just staring at the ceiling and bed respectively

Some of her strength coming back, Janna crawled over to a nearly unconscious Tom. She placed her arms around him in a warm embrace. Tom returned with a small kiss on the cheek. The ecstasy spilled over now into a strange peace with the two of them. They were entirely focused on each other's touch, the sweet aftertaste of their masochistic desires.

As the moments passed, Tom felt the need to get up on his feet. Janna still held him. Like after a hard days work, they kissed again. Tom threw his eyes on their handy work left on the sheets.  
-„We sure made quite the mess.", he said.  
-„Oh, don't worry, the hotel gets much worse than us, they'll clean it up.", Janna said looking at Tom with a strange kind of confidence. Tom wondered around in her eyes, her strangely seductive eyes.  
-„How did you even get this place? How did you even pull this off?", Tom meant her uncanny Star costume.  
-„This ain't my first time having to book a shady place for one night. Believe me, infinite hotels are much easier than some other places. As for this,", she looked at her ravaged clothes,"it's just a bit of practical and literal magic. I found a mimicking spell in one of my occult tomes. Not perfect, but good enough to get her cheek marks and hair. Everything else? Just some makeup. Oh, and contact lenses!", she carefully took them off going back to her natural dead dark colour.

Her hearts then slowly disappeared while her hair went back to her normal length and darkened to her regular shade. She stared at Tom now back as herself. A shift happened. The room's red became dulled to reality, he felt the sweat on his body and looked outside of himself at the scene. A uncomfortable irony set in. „These are just two lost lovers meeting in a theater to act out their innermost desires.", Tom thought in his strange post sexual clarity. He knew with certainty that he lost his pray somewhere in the fields. He was looking at an actress playing the woman he loved and after the climax they both had to take off their costumes. Everything was crystal clear, no delusion for him to hide behind and no emotion for him to get attached to. Until he got a strange case of deja vu feeling himself sink in the ground from a sense of guilt that came to him. Like he had just burnt a young girl he was friends with.

„Tom, why don't we sleep this off a little? I think we both need the rest.", Janna said to Tom's static eyes. Tom agreed and they replaced the sheets and went to bed in each other's arms. Tom couldn't close his third eye knowing the situation.

After Janna was already sound asleep, Tom got up and stood on their small terrace. They had left the window open to give some refreshing air to the tight room. He leaned on the railing gazing up at the sky. From their floor he was way above even the tallest mountain in the land, yet barley breaking the rivers of clouds above. The hotel went on forever into the sky, always somewhere higher you could be. Tom was focused on the moon while his mind went in the background:"This can't be all there is...There's got to be something more...An endless cycle of fake love. Getting mad at Star, breaking up, her getting hurt, me feeling lonely and her guilt tripping herself into a relationship with me again. Each time more delusion and more hate between us...There's got to be more to this...", Tom looked on at the moon hoping it would go red. And waited.

And so Tom's thoughts circled as he saw the moon start to let the dawn come in slowly. When he finally broke his gaze from it, he saw a Sun ruling the sky. He had missed the sunrise. Tom wished he would stop narrating his life so pathetically. He hoped sleep would give him some peace as he rejoined Janna.


	4. Must We Dance?

It was late in the day when the only things to light up the underworld were a few lone beacons of fire. If you could see them all at a great distance you would see that they all lead to a fiery castle. The bottom of it was lit up in organized hellfire and evil drank from the fountain of delight with a tall glass. All suits, dresses and whatever frighting image anyone could conjure up. After all, they had no excuses. It was a royal ball.

The ball room was teaming with demonic life. Creatures of all shapes and sizes were gathered in wasn't a small get together of the high life of demon society, this was a tide of it crashing into all of the rooms in the castle. There were guests in every corner of every room, the mess the standard for most demonic gatherings.

By then a few fights had broken out, a few betting pools opened for said fights, some lucky guests took their nights upstairs and someone preemptively had been drenched in blood before the main ceremony. Still, the night was young, countless other sins to commit for the rest of it.

A usual key player was missing though. Tom had spent the entire ball by then standing by the entrance leaning on the large steel door. What he previously thought had a one in a million chance of happening came to fruition. He didn't have a date. If he were ever out in the cold alone, he'd normally call one of his friends to join him. Lately, this would have been Kelly which was now impossible. Given his parents tendency to unexpectedly surprise him with royal balls at the best of times, Tom was now in quite a desperate situation. Going alone to your own ball was worse than going with a close male friend, and Tom had run out of those.

So he impatiently waited hoping no one would come to talk to him before his back up plan arrived. The door budged behind him and in came Janna wearing a red dress.

-„Okay, I'm here", Janna said hastily. She had been trying to come here as quickly as possible without ruining her look.

-„Good. Now...", Tom saw what she was trying to maintain.

Her dress was blood red, a perfect fit for the castle, with a cut around her knees to let her show off her legs, while her chest was covered up. She carried a small black leather purse holding onto its gold chain. Her blue eyeliner and red lipstick complemented everything perfectly and her hair was flowing free. Tom didn't expect for her to make such an effort, she looked absolutely classy and lovely.

-„Quit daydreaming about me and talk!", Janna broke his look.

-„Oh! Okay, listen. We're gonna go around, talk to some people, make jokes and socialize. We do that for about two hours then we say we're going out to party somewhere else and leave. Got it?", Tom said in a hush.

-„Got it."

Tom offered his hand and they locked arms as they started walk into the fray. „Oh, and Tom?", Janna whispered,"Next time just call one of the girls from the strip club, I'm not doing this again.". Tom nodded in agreement. It took all his persuasive skills to make her come here, something he didn't want to go through ever again.

The main floor was in full swing. The candles that lined every table, populated the walls and hung as chandeliers made the interior look golden as they reflected their light on the pristine were countless demons talking, dancing and drinking. Janna wasn't so much confused by the figures she saw, rather she was confused because some were quite normal and others the thoughts of a mad man.

You see, everything was on a spectrum. On one end there were the quite normal looking demons who dressed at a level not too far from Janna's which made her fit in quite well. On the other end were classy abominations, creatures that could only be invited to a ball in hell, though none she saw so far were disgusting or unpleasant to look at. The middle was the uncanny valley, creatures that blurred the line between human like and otherworldly. Whether this were succubi dressing beyond any acceptable level, strange half animal hybrids that drank from the blood bowl with glee or bone like constructs. After reading about most of them, Janna had no difficulty not getting freaked out by what she saw.

In the crowd, Tom was able to spot both his parents. His father wore his royal garbs and crown, while his mother wore a black dress with diamond etchings. This wasn't how his mother was normally, now her form was much smaller with flowing black hair and not so muscly, though she kept the eyes and horns. It would be a logistical nightmare with all the guests if she was in her normal form, so she would always go like that for special occasions. Tom knew her like that well, she had to be like that most of his early childhood. His mother scared him as a baby otherwise, and it took him some time to get used to her regular self. She never felt natural in this form so she avoided as much as she could.

As they were walking, Janna felt a strange heat coming from above. Gazing up, she nudged Tom as this was out of her league in the occult. Above, he saw a bright light that made him shield his eyes for a few seconds. The light dissipated as a loud voice started talking:" Hey, Lucio! What up, my man?", the figure saying that in a loud, near obnoxious voice was none other than Hector. Hector was a flaming golden skull and skeleton hands decked out with the most expensive jewelry that filled any empty space in him and reflected the lights of all the candles to Tom's pain.

-„Oh, hey Hector!", Tom forced joy through his surprise.

-„Yo, man, where have you been?", Hector emphasized every word,"I saw you walking here dressed all fancy. It's been so long! You know what kind of crazy stuff you've been missing out?"

-„Oh, I bet. You guys still talking Joey into risking his life?"

-„Dude, we convinced him to jump into an endless pit and the dude still somehow survived!", Hector laughed and teared up at the image. „Wait a minute, they're all here, let me go get em'."

-„No, wait!", Tom stopped him,"I haven't seen in you months, don't leave like that. I'll talk with the guys later. What have you been up to?"

-„Oh, same old, same old. Start a mess, get blamed for it, cause more trouble trying to prove my innocence, you know how it is. But who IS THIS?", Hector took one of his hands out of the cyclone of flame that surrounded him and offered it to Janna.

-„My name's Janna, nice to meet you.", Janna jumped in before Tom had the chance to introduce her.

-„Well, Janna it is a pleasure.", he looked respectfully into her eyes. Hector glanced at Tom and back to Janna multiple times just to get an idea about them. Dimming his flames as to not burn Tom's regal suit, Hector went up to his ear and whispered:"So you spinning them plates like wild, huh? Hope your little goodie too shoes princess doesn't mind, ha ha, my man!".

Tom didn't catch all of what he said because of the ball and wasn't sure what he was complementing him for nor did he have time to ask as he went back above them.

-„So, you wanna get some drinks? I brought some of my own home made shots just in case you didn't live up to standards."

-„Definitely, but later. My parents want me to make the rounds with all the rich wigs, and it might take a while. I'll come to you when I'm finished."

-„Awesome! See you later man!", Hector then flew off in the opposite direction. Tom only waved him good bye.

Tom didn't put too much meaning on the conversation, he just turned around and started walking. On the other hand, Janna was curious about his crystal skull friend.

-„Old friend?", she asked.

-„Acquaintance.", Tom had an annoyed expression having to give Hector more of his breath.

-„I don't think acquaintances dare people into risking their lives.", Tom turned his head not wanting to talk about it.

-„I'm sorry Tom, but you got no right to hide it from me. You dragged me here and I'm at least getting this from it."

Tom sighed as he gave in:"Him and I hung out when we were younger, that's all. We even had our own „gang" to start trouble all together. Nothing much". Mentioning them was a waste of time to Tom. The last time he saw them regularly was when he was originally dating Star. Since then, he saw one of them maybe very couple of months. It would have been like if he mentioned the fly on his desk he saw yesterday, what's the point?

-„Then I guess you won't talk to them later? Why are you so cold to them? They aren't that big jerks, are they?"

-„Would you still want to be hanging out with your friends from when you were eight?"

-„...Good point.", Janna conceded as she went through the nightmarish picture in her head.

The two of them left the main floor surprisingly undisturbed by any other unwanted friends. Just as they were leaving, a goblin started juggling flaming rocks to entertain the surrounding crowd. Even though they seemed to enjoy it, Tom thought it best that they go to catering to avoid the mass of people all gathered. To avoid making Janna vomit, he took her to one of the more conservative tables. Most of the food was small of bits of strange meat, though Tom assured that they it wasn't anything too far from the meat humans ate.

Janna tested out different pieces of meat finding all of them delicious and Tom drank a couple glasses of punch as he watched the flow of the ball go by. He was strangely enjoying himself being out of it. He was getting distracted, unfortunately. On the other side of the table relatively close to them, was a goat-man in a suit eating all the meat he could find and staring intrusively at Tom. He tried his best to ignore it it, even gave him a few glares, but he wouldn't stop. After catching him in the act a couple of times, he also saw that he was staring at Janna for some reason. Feeling ticked off, Tom had to speak:

-„Hey, what's your problem, man? You've been staring at us for like five minutes, what gives?"

-„Oh, I'm sorry, I just like watching people.", the goat man said in a deep voice.

-„And you think you can stare at her like that?", Tom got defensive all of a sudden.

-„Tom, it's no big deal. You're the prince of the underworld, what can he do?", Janna interjected to cool Tom down.

-„Oh, no, not like that. I like seeing people in strange predicaments.", the goat man answered.

-„Since when is it strange to drink punch at a ball?", Tom asked.

-„Since you didn't bring your fiance to do it together."

-„My what now?", Tom felt an uneasy feeling.

-„Your magical princess. Aren't the two of you supposed to get married soon?"

-„How do you know that?!"

-„It's the talk of the town."

Tom felt that sinking feeling again that blocked him from saying anything. He didn't even notice Janna leaning in surprised to the goat man saying „Marriage?" with a dry throat.

Janna looked at Tom with shock, but Tom couldn't answer her as he noticed all the strange looks he was getting from all around the ball room. He was starting to panic a bit, the only thing bringing him down was seeing his father talking with a dismembered hand. „Wait here.", he said darting off to him leaving Janna with a thousand unanswered questions.

The hand was wiggling away from his father as he approached. He pulled him by the shoulder and came in closely with out hesitation:

-„Dad, how many people did you tell me and Star are getting married?"

-„Uh...I didn't tell anyone. The people just figured."

Tom pushed his father away as he went wide eyed with dread. Everything seemed to get a bit closer, walling him. His dread was replaced with worry as he remembered he left Janna alone at a demon ball. He quickly went back to the table, Janna nowhere to be found.

He couldn't see her anywhere and all of his yells were drowned out by the ball. Wasting no time, he started to search for her.

Janna was going to ask the goat man her questions, but sensing the uncomfortable situation had left. While Janna stared vacantly trying to process the information, she didn't notice a small imp with horns half the size of its body sneakily taking her small black purse. She was just able to notice him in the last second. Caught, it started to run with the purse. „Hey!", Janna yelled as she started to chase it.

All she could do was walk slightly fast in her high heels. The imp left her in its dust. After it had went through a hall and across an other room, the imp stood on the top of a giant chocolate fountain, to no one ones annoyance, and looked back wanting to see his predator. It was a couple of seconds before Janna came around the corner and the imp finally saw her. Feeling quite certain in his catch, the imp mockingly danced on the top of the multi level fountain.

Nothing would have made Janna happier than to wipe the grin off its face, but she also didn't have any other foot wear for tonight. A light bulb went up in her head. She took off her left heel and with all the prouce that her two week baseball career gave her, threw it directly at the imp. She hit the very top of the fountain, off the mark. However, the fountain wobbled uncertainly and the imp had fright in his eyes as it started to come down. Before it hit the ground, the imp jumped off, dropping her purse well beyond the bounds of the chocolate mess that was all over the floor.

Most of the guests were just confused. Janna sneakily grabbed her shoe and purse and went back into the crowd as a couple of cleaners were all ready getting started.

She searched around for Tom, but she felt like she was in an another castle. Nothing seemed familiar even though she swore she hadn't come that far from the dining table. It was made worse by the flows of people and creatures that took her involuntarily with them. Janna tried to walk her own pace, only to get swept back up again in a different flow.

She wasn't exactly prepared to handle such a stressful situation among such beings. The imp took her mind off it, with him gone, she was now back to disturbing thought that she destroyed a possible marriage. It seemed like her plans for tonight were ruined, she needed a swift exit immediately to get her bearings. All she hoped for was that she would catch Tom out of the corner of her eye and get this all over with.

Tom was starting to feel uneasy. Leaving Janna alone wasn't the best idea. She was into the occult, sure, but it was a far too dangerous place for any human to be on their own. Tom had passed multiple rooms in the castle by then with nothing to show for it. Anyone he asked either said they didn't notice her or had a look of excitement at the mention of a human.

All of this accelerated Tom's search, even if he was starting to panic a little. Tom stood in the middle of one of the golden candle lit rooms, spiraling in place wanting to find Janna somewhere as he turned his head frantically. He stopped when three golden eyes appeared right in front of him. After controlling his dizziness, Tom saw a seductive smile on a curved body asking mockingly if he had gone insane.

-„You all right there, Tommy boy?", the seduction and mocking were clear in her sultry voice.

It was Anna. Tom's first girlfriend.

-„Hey, Anna.", Tom was brought down back to earth by his automatic reaction of contempt.

She stood with power in her long sleeved dress that was glued perfectly to her body. She had pale blonde hair and her dress matched the shade of her skin which was a bit paler than Tom's. Her accented cheekbones funneled nicely into her sharp chin with her wide smile, showing Tom her small fangs, Anna knowing his secret that he loved that on a girl. The six of their eyes met just like old times.

-„Oh, come on! Exes don't treat each other that bad, you're better than that!", she said sarcastically.

-„Do we even count as exes? We went out for, like, three weeks."

-„And it took us a long time to get there. Too bad we never got to enjoy the true delights of love.", Anna rolled her s's on delights.

-„Wow, subtle. Why don't you spill some champagne over your dress while you're at it?"

-„Well, if I had some on me right now, I wouldn't hesitate to please you."

Tom just sighed that he had to go over the same things with her for the hundredth time.

-„ Anna, this really isn't the time for asking me to get back together."

-„Why? The girl you came with isn't anywhere around . What's the problem?"

-„Have you seen her anywhere?", Tom said in concern,"I can't find her.".

-„Oh, my dear Tom. If you've lost your girl here, I'm sorry to say you won't ever find her again. My best guess is she decided to get a taste of the meat around here.", Anna raised her eyebrow,"And besides, you've got Star. Or has that fallen through?".

Tom suppressed his growing anger, accustomed to Anna behaving like a brat. He exhaled and continued:

-„Anna, can't you help me, just this once? I'm not asking for anything special here."

-„Oh, but I am.", she put her slender arm on Tom's shoulder,"You're gonna have to do something for me in return.", she came close softly whispering.

Tom stooped her half way by grabbing her by the collar of her dress, all the rage of this and every meeting before hand with her coming through:

-„Anna, I'm getting tired of this. Either you tell me if you saw her or I blast you into a million pieces."  
Anna couldn't feel afraid. She liked it when Tom got angry.

-„Feeling a bit frustrated , are we? Don't worry, I can take care of that.", she grabbed Tom's crotch making him hard immediately.

Feeling a shiver through out his whole body, Tom pushed Anna onto to the floor instinctually. The guests only glanced and went back to whatever they were doing. A great force came over Tom that made him ever so slightly desire the demon girl on the floor. „Ooooh, you like it a little rough?", fires lit up in her eyes that mesmerized Tom. It almost seemed right. Yet there was another force in him, a force that made him run off to continue his search and leave Anna. Tom had to do so. If he didn't, all he would have is his own will to resist, something he found became weak next to her. With new vigour, Tom started again.

Anna dusted herself off and smiled that Tom hadn't changed much.

The next ten or so minutes did Janna no good. There was no sign of Tom and she was going off the deep end of the scale with every figure she saw. Always in the corner of her eye, some strange thing seemingly stalking her, then gone from sight when she looked.

It didn't help she didn't like crowds that much. It all felt so tight inside, like she was getting short on air. Not to mention, it was really hot amidst all the burning candles everywhere, making her uncomfortable in an already stressful situation.

She was in one of the near identical rooms starting to feel like a rat in this maze of a castle. The only thing different there was that she could see tall flames in the distance through the absurdly large windows. She had somehow made it to the one of the edges of the castle and she didn't even know where she came in, one of the servants had led her here. Through the mass of people she was able to see a completely empty balcony overlooking the underworld. Janna pushed everyone aside to their annoyance just so she could get to this safe heaven.

Pushing the ornate glass doors open, Janna threw herself at the railing relishing the breath of fresh air. It wasn't quite that fresh(it was hell after all), but better than suffocating in the mess of demons and monsters.  
Simply breathing and calming herself down, Janna was then disturbed by the sound of her phone buzzing in her purse. She took it out and saw an unknown number calling her. Janna answered the unwanted call just to get it through with:

-„Hello?"

-„Hey, Janna!", Jackie's distinct cool voice was on the other side.

-„Oh, hey.", Janna wanted to be rude and make whoever called her talk to her later, but made an exception with Jackie.

-„Sorry for calling you like this. I just got a new phone number which is why I'm an unknown caller. Anyway, I was wondering if you knew what Ferguson did with that Mackie Hand figure? He borrowed it from Marco a couple months ago and hasn't..."

-„Jackie, I'd really love to talk about it, but I'm lost at a demonic ball and I've seen too much nightmare fuel for one night."

-„Oh.", Jackie simply accepted the fact. Janna was getting a bit extreme with her rituals and seances in the past month. Jackie was weirded out at first, but as all things Janna got accustomed to it.

-„So, should I just hang up or...", Jackie asked confused.

-„No, don't!", Janna pleaded, „Can you just... talk to me for a couple of minutes? I feel like I'm losing my mind here."

-„Oh, okay. So what you've been up to?", this troubled Janna more than it should have. It was hard to find the right amount of honesty for Jackie about the whole affair thing.

-„Oh, you know...Nothing much. You?"

-„Pretty much the same. I started my summer job at the fair, went skateboarding and went out with Chloe a couple of times, but I'm still bored to tears."

Chloe was Jackie's new girlfriend, a girl that Janna before never even knew existed. Janna always worked on the hypothesis that at least someone in her class had to be gay, she was just surprised that it was Jackie. She only found out when she saw them walking on the street together, Jackie telling her then and there she swung the other side.

-„Sounds cool.", Janna sighed into the dry air.

-„I don't know if this is in my right to ask, but how exactly did you get yourself to a demon ball?", Jackie asked out of curiosity.

-„Uh...A handsome demon made me go out on a date with him for summoning him during a business meeting?", yeah, that worked. She was technically lying, but only by a slight margin.

-„Oooh, lady of the night... Sorry, didn't mean it that way.", Janna's sense of irony was growing thin,"You got to tell me about it when you get back! Sounds super fun!", Janna felt a sharp pain in her chest as Jackie said that.

-„Jackie, this is torture. I lost my date and can't find him anywhere...", Janna was staring to hyperventilate a bit when the doors slammed open behind her,a group of young demons joining her on the balcony.

„I'll call you back.", Janna ended the call as she quickly left the demons alone. It was back into the fray and Janna went back to her regular spiraling out train of thought.

Tom find to difficult to cut out all the pieces of Anna in his mind. Something just stuck and wouldn't leave him. It felt strange, like there was something inside him that didn't belong. Tom pushed through, though. The ball rooms a bust, Tom conclude that Janna probably didn't like crowds, so she must have been in of the hallways. If she knew how to get to them, which Tom desperately hoped she did.

Tom exited the ball room and went in one of his castle's long hallways. It was completely barren. The hall was mostly marble with a few decorations in bronze, silver and gold. The right of him was lined with small windows looking out to the underworld. Tom sprinted down it in hopes he would find Janna sitting in one of the many seats inside it.

-„In a hurry?", a voice from further down echoed itself to Tom.

At the the end of the hall he found something he wasn't expecting. Sitting down, was a construct made with a cow's skull as its head and a ragged robe covering the rest of its body. Next to it was a bald demon wearing cleaner unmarked robes with a single small horn coming out of his fore head.

The construct was one the „philosophers". They were ancient demons that had no function in demon society. They were ghosts that roamed hell with no clear purpose. They'd come to every royal event and those too old for balls and dinner parties wold spend their evening chatting away with them in fun debate. The demon must have been his student, Tom thought.

-„You seem lost, young demon prince.", the construct said in an evil, raspy tone that reverberated through his hollow body below.

-„I'm just looking for my date, have you seen her? She's the only human at the ball.", Tom took deep breaths after his sprint.

-„I see many people, yet I can remember none of them. Such is the curse of an old man.", Tom could see from a mile away that whatever he wanted to get from this guy wasn't worth it. He started to turn around.

-„The youth would be smart to heed their elders in times of uncertainty, not turn their back on them in disbelief. That is the road of a many ruin.", the construct stopped him with his voice.

-„Well even that won't get me far, so what's the point?", something about the enunciation ticked Tom off. He couldn't leave with out shutting him up."What, you're gonna give the magic elixir that solves all my problems?", Tom mocked.

-„Many have gone through worse troubles in love, master Tom. Learn from their mistakes and prosper."

„Oh great, he knows about the whole marriage thing, like he needed an edge.", Tom thought with disdain at the figure of the sitting construct that angered him so. He couldn't have turned back if he wanted to.

-„Look, I don't need a skeleton judging me. I never even asked for your advice."

-„Oh, but master Tom ,that is just it.", the robbed demon interjected with his soft voice,"Nobody wants advice, everybody wants to fail in the same way individually. What my master is trying to teach is the need for guidance.", this was a misconception he and his master encountered heavily in their travels, so he cut it short by clearing it up himself.

-„I didn't ask you either, Gandhi."

-„And that is your first mistake. You are quick to anger with no use for it. This is the first sign of a weak man.", the construct calmly said.

-„Did you hear a word I said? And where the hell do you get the right to call me weak?", Tom snapped back.

-„Firstly, you are disrespectful towards my student. Secondly, if you desire to find this girl then why haven't you left us and gone elsewhere to search for her?"

Tom felt stuck in place in that moment. One part of him wanted to look for Janna, the other to smack the construct in the face. The latter force was quick to overpower.

-„Do you know who you're talking to? I could turn both of you into dust."

-„Yet you will not for you are weak. A weak man will never use his emotions for anything good, he will wallow in them until the end of time. A strong man will turn his rage into passion and nothing will stand in his way. I do not believe you are capable of this."

-„Wanna test that?", a fireball appeared in Tom's hand.

-„It is quite binary if I am dead or not, so threats are worthless. What are you waiting for?", the taunts of the construct drove Tom to a blind rage, but something in its words stopped him from doing anything. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was right.

-„Ah, so you have realized. That is the first step.", Tom put out his flame.

-„So you got one thing right. Congrats. What's next, you gonna tell me I enjoy wearing a suit?"

-„Dresswear is for foreplay, not for a link between two beings. This is one of the reasons you have failed to love.", Tom wanted to say something but the construct insisted,"On many fronts have you failed. With demons, princesses and now witches. All for a desire to be loved. You are naive, but that can be ratified. Leave this want for love, this charade you play. Conquer your enemy lands and their wives to breaking point, then have mercy as they fear you and love you out of necessity. You desire shallow power, this is its true form."

Tom felt unnerved by the speech. The vigour and passion that the construct spoke with made it seem like a new unseen evil was talking to him.

-„I don't have time for your ramblings. I gotta go.", the construct made a low rumble as if in disappointment.

-„Do you know the secrets of the world, Tom?", the construct said as if it held a terrible secret.

-„Huh?", Tom simply replied. For some reason this interested him, so he stayed as the construct began to speak in a more evil voice.

„There is so much more hidden in plain sight that even you know.", the construct revealed his bony hands and started moving them as if he was casting a spell,"But this what is hidden is not so far removed from where we are.", a strange pulsing flame appeared as he moved his hands,"In fact it is quite more ordinary than you might think."

The pulses of the flame would form strange shapes that Tom couldn't quite grasp what they were. Yet he couldn't look away. Something about its small movements in the air calmed him down. He kept staring at the pulses and shapes mesmerized. After a while he started to see things in the flame. The body of a women, a might sword, a blossoming tree. Tom was watching an abstract magic show wondering just what the pretty images meant.  
Then, the flame changed behaviour. It was more erratic, as if it was fighting the air around itself. The images turned foul, the women a hag, the sword broken in two, and a withering tree on a cliff side. It all felt so real to Tom. He couldn't even think that he was in the hall way anymore, he was one of the sparks trapped in the flame.

As it went on, Tom stopped just seeing those images, he started to feel a strange passing of time. Millennia passed in seconds and he saw each star in the sky dissipate. Under the passing sands of time that were quickly running short, a statue appeared. The tree from before on the same cliff side with a man sitting on the edge staring at whatever lied ahead. There was a sad look on the face of the man and the more Tom looked at it, the more sorrow he saw. It engulfed him, the sadness, he couldn't see anything else. He was becoming one with the man. In fact, he was the man.

It was him sitting lonely on the cliff watching everything go by. As the end of time approached, an evil presence became clear. Dressed in holy armor and carrying a sword, a phantasm came to him. Words eluded Tom for the phantasm. With a sorrowful brow, the phantasm dropped his sword on him and Tom went back to a restaurant with a women he didn't love. Tom came back to the hall in a cold sweat.

The construct was now stood up, revealing his tall nature. His eye sockets had the exact same flame and they looked down on a fearful Tom.

-„Enough!", Tom screamed in a rage to hide his fear to no avail. He stormed back through the door he entered.

Now in an empty hall way, the student asked his master:

-„Master, why did you lie to him? What you told him of love, it was folly! Why deceive him?

-„In time, young one. In time."

Why did Tom leave her? Why was she his first choice? Why didn't he tell her about the marriage? Why was she getting strange looks at the ball? Why hadn't Jackie told her, her best friend, about who she loved? Was she safe here? Someone would save her if anything happened, right? Does Tom even remember that he left her?

These questions came back again and again to Janna as she desperately walked through the crowd. All she wanted was to leave, she couldn't take much more of feeling suffocated. As she shyly moved, she jumped as she felt a clawed hand on her shoulder. She turned around. One of the fancily dressed demons from the balcony stood in front of her, wearing a purple suit with small gems everywhere and had reigning horns.

-„Hey, you all right? You've been walking aimlessly for the past ten minutes.", the demon said in a suave voice,"You haven't drank too much, have you? You look... a little young for that.", the pause made her uneasy.

-„N-no I haven't. Do you know where the exit is?", even speaking became hard for Janna against the backdrop of the unknown.

-„Hey, you can't go out there on your own! Who knows what creeps are out there. What happened to Tom? I saw you come in with him."

-„I... l-lost him.", Janna couldn't control her own mouth.

-„Uh, classic Tom. Leaving his dates hung out dry. What a shame. Well how about we find him? Just stick by my side and we'll look for him. My name's Marcus by the way."

-„Janna.", she threw the dice unknowingly.

Just as he was starting to lead her, another voice came in.

-„A little young for your tastes?", the voice belonged to another fancily dressed demon that stood right behind the horned one holding a glass.

The strange look of excitement on Marcus's face contorted uncomfortably into an annoyed pout at the sound of the other demon.

-„This is one of the those jerks you should avoid at every ball.", the horned one said not looking at the other.

-„And he's one of those guys you should avoid everywhere. Jeez, Marcus, can't you leave the girl alone? She's clearly scared to death! Here, have a drink, it'll calm you down.", he offered his red drink to a frightened Janna. Its colour was blood red, a bit too close to the real thing for Janna.

-„I apologise for my friend. His name is Devon and is a thorn in everybody's side. Don't mind him.", Marcus took her hand unexpectedly. He was pulling her one way while Janna had a weak protest the other. Devon stood in their way.

-„Listen, I ain't the best romancer, but this is pathetic. I mean, come on, look at her! It's like hunting kittens, what can they do?", Devon swirled his glass.

Marcus went up to him with an angered expression.

-„Look, Devon, you don't criticise someone else's catch. Just leave me be and there won't be any fuss.", Marcus said through gritted teeth.

-„No fuss! I don't think there can be any fuss when you're the one that gets the only human at the ball!", Devon screamed to the top of his lungs. Some uncanny valley gentlemen and dames turned their heads inquisitively at the mention of a human. Janna was frozen with fear. A shattering sound punched through making her start to sweat her body weight. It was the sound of Marcus throwing Devon's drink and smashing the glass.

-„How about you give it a rest for one night! You never let me have my own way!"

-„Well ever since you took that fairy from me and made her useless, I don't think you should have your own way!"

Out of nowhere, Marcus punched Devon straight in the face letting go of Janna. Devon had wobbly feat for a moment ,but came back by tackling Marcus to the ground. They started to brawl like vicious animals on the floor as a crowd gathered to watch. Janna backed up slowly, feeling tension every step she took. The clump of people made her see a clearing in the room with a door showing a female sex symbol. She darted through the raucous cheering tide and entered the bathroom. She immediately went in one of the stalls and leaned against the door in desperation.

She could hardly breathe, she couldn't take too much more of this. All she could think about was that she was having a panic attack. Sweating and exhausted by nothing else other than just being there, she fought small tears to not ruin her mascara. With a quiet whimper, she knelt down in the stall as all the questions came back and wiped her sadness away and cut deep like never before.

She ruined a potential marriage. She slept with her friend's boyfriend. She lost Marco. Her best friend didn't even trust her to tell her she loved differently. Her rebound left her at the ball. Piece by piece, she felt she was coming unraveled.

She didn't even react to the door opening and the sound of high heels hitting the ground. Two girly voices were chatting, Janna too apathetic to care.

-„Why does Tom need bathrooms like these?", one of them said in awe at the gold and silver plated lavatory.

-„It's for the hundreds of servants that work for him. When you're the prince of the underworld, you can afford to be this luxurious.", the other said in a deeper voice.

-„If this is for his servants, imagine what his room looks like! Maybe one of us will get to know, if we're lucky."

-„ We'll have to wait a while. Tom needs to heal before his wants a piece of anyone again."

-„What about that girl he came with? He looks like he wants her."

-„Just a rebound. He just needs something to take the edge off. He'll leave her soon."

-„Yeah, you're right. I mean, look at her. Why would he want that when he can have any demon girl at the ball? Seems like a waste of time."

-„Still, we gotta look our best for him. Don't wanna let any other skank get to him before-„

Janna furiously swung the door of the stall open. The two demon girls were just putting on some extra makeup when they saw her determined expression. No words said, Janna simply walked up to the mirror, put on some red lipstick, gave the girls some glares with out turning her head and was swiftly out of there.

The girl with three golden eyes hated to admit, but she was actually kinda hot.

Tom was getting fed up with all of this. He had a strange gnawing voice in the back of his head retelling the construct's story word for word with out pause. He was still searching for Janna, truly,it was just second priority to him figuring out why the story made him so anxious. In the main ball room where he was the floor was blood red from the ceremonial spill which he had missed. With glassy eyes, he walked not paying any attention to his surroundings. Over and over he examined the images and words until he hit a bright light on his path that hurt his eyes. His friend Hector took him on his word from before, it seemed.

-„Hey, man, there you are! Hey guys, he's over here!", a rag tag bunch of five other creatures joined the flaming skull. Martin, a reverse mermaid, Jocko, a hooded wizard, Andrew, a half money half pig abomination, Sam, a burly beastman, and of course, Joey, the unremarkable looking white haired human in street clothes that was somehow completely immortal, all said their hellos.

-„Hey, guys.", Tom said half heartedly.

-„Don't be so down on us, man! We're gonna party like kings tonight! Ain't that right, Joey?", Sam said with conviction.

-„Yup!", Joey said with a strange kind of human joviality, the mere contrast of him against everything else driving everybody to chuckle at him except Tom. Tom only wanted them gone from his sight. He just didn't want to have to do anything to them for them to get the picture.

-„Hector, tell him about the plan!", Sam said.

-„Oh, right!", Hector pulled out from under his head a small pink bottle.

-„Tom,", Hector now in a hush,"tell Joey this is a fruit juice and give him some, it's actually the spiciest hot sauce. Just kidding, it's sulphuoric acid, we just wanna see what happens."

Tom looked at the small bottle in his hand quite plainly labeled „Acid". The gang all watched him waiting for him to make his move, the eyes of the reverse mermaid dry with anticipation.

-„Hey, Joey, you want some fruit juice?", Tom said as if this was his job he hated.

-„Sure!", Joey answered with the same joviality.

Nothing to it, Joey swigged the entire bottle in one fell swoop. At first there were no affects. Then Joey started clutching his chest and stomach screaming „Ah, it's so hot! No, wait, it just hurts!"

Back in the day, Tom enjoyed Joey being like this. Now it only seemed stupid and unnecessarily cruel. As the others were laughing their asses off at Joey, Tom went to leave.

-„Hey, man, where you going?", Hector went up to him.

-„Sorry, man, I gotta meat up with my dad.", Tom lied expertly.

-„Can't your pops wait? We haven't even made Joey get impaled on the chandelier!"

-„No, sorry, man."

A small tug of war ensued with Hector begging Tom to stay grabbing ,with his flames off, him by the arm and Tom shoving him off. Hector wasn't getting the message as much Tom said it again and again:"Hector, I gotta go! Let me go!".

The rest of the gang was by the side telling Tom to stay. Tom was getting more angry by the second, a flame in his eyes that was only getting bigger. Their tug of war was just about to become a brawl, before Tom got both his hand around Hector.

-„JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!", Tom yelled as he threw Hector across the room at a nearby table. All eyes were on him.

Tom then took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down as the rest of the gang backed up. Everyone except Joey, who, still reeling from his fruit juice, placed his arm on Tom's shoulder in desperation.  
As soon as he did, Tom flipped a switch in his head. He eyes lit up in star light, he turned around and placed his hand on the crouched over human's chest. The light from his eyes went directly to his hand and flames formed around it. Feeling the power pulsing inside, Tom prepared for his favourite therapy tool: violence.

In the flash of a second, he let all out, blasting poor Joey straight though the roof, making a big hole and putting a falling star in the sky that was coming down to the ground in a blaze.

Tom smelt the smoke that came from his fingers. It was a good smell for a moment. The lit candles in the room reminded him where he was. At a ball being given strange looks by everybody around.

Silence. Nobody said anything. He waited for someone to say something, anything, just so he could leave. Like his anger just now, Tom's shame grew with each moment.

Then suddenly, cheering. Everybody was ecstatic. Even Hector got up from the ground and clapped for the entertaining display. „Tom always knows how to have a good time!", „That was awesome, Tom!", „Greatest demon prince in the world!", they all complimented him like that and all Tom could do was stand there dumbfounded. He thought that blasting Joey was the worst thing to happen tonight. How wrong he was. This filled him more dread than anything else, everything fading away at this ludicrous irony he felt. He couldn't take it. He rushed past all his supportive admirers and made his way to his room.

Janna stomped her way through the ball searching for Tom. A fiery anger drove each of her steps. As she navigated the maze, she saw a red trail on the floor. Following it, it lead her to the largest room she saw that night. Every square inch had something standing on it, demon or otherwise. Even she could have gone through every single person, Janna didn't find the task worth it. She was just about to leave and look or wait for Tom elsewhere.

Then all the candles shone like never before. The flame of each one rose up in the air, them all gathering together around a young boy and forming a small ball in the hand of a demon. They were let loose on him in the flash of a second, putting him through the roof. Then the flames went back and the cheerful atmosphere of the ball accompanied with loud cheers also returned.

Everyone's eyes were on a lone demon boy who just looked at his smoking hand downtrodden. Janna's happiness at finding Tom had a strange kind of sadness with it. The crowd met his eyes for one short second before Tom ran off to his room.

Not caring for anyone else, Janna pushed her way through everyone as she followed Tom through a small door. On the other side, was an endless staircase with Tom nowhere in sight. Janna carefully went up the stairs purely following her mission of finding Tom.

At the aching end of the stairs was a door that simply said „Get out" written in graffiti. Janna peeked behind the door, finding a normal looking room for a demon prince and teenager. Still, she couldn't see Tom, only the right side of the room and half of his bed.

She opened the door not making a sound. Throwing her head around the corner, she laid her eyes on him. Lonely on the balcony letting the curtain flap freely in the wind. Her entrance made no impression on Tom if he heard it. Slowly she approached with a meek voice:

-„Tom?"

-„Oh, hey Janna.", Tom didn't even turn around.

-„Where were you?"

-„I was talking with my dad and got lost.", Tom was deadly flat, though a defeated subtext permeated him. A strange wind came from Tom to Janna. She only felt concern for him.

-„You were talking with your dad the entire time?"

-„Not the entire time, I also blasted Joey through the roof to applause. Look, I can even see him still.", Tom pointed at what looked like a shooting star going over the horizon. What worried Janna was that he just didn't seem to be phased, which of course meant that it troubled him deeply.

-„Are you...okay?", what a motherly voice she had when she said that.

-„Sigh, I guess. Everything tonight won't be remembered. Then everything will go back the way it was before. Time will stop and I'll just stand in place till' it all goes cold."

-„What are you talking about?", Janna was concerned now more than before.

-„I'm talking about this!", Tom erupted in Janna's face pointing to his room,"All of this! Everything that's ever happened! That's what I'm talking about! This endless cycle we're all trapped in. Nothing else, nothing new to see or do under the sun! Wake up, question nothing, do what you always do, lie to yourself about what you did, trick yourself into more mistakes and go to sleep kinda happy. I'll get back to Star and it'll all start again.", he grabbed Janna by the shoulders,"That's all there is, Janna. That's all there is!", his demented eyes were focused on the confused ones of Janna.

-„I mean, look at this! This is perfect! We're in my bedroom, you're in a hot dress, I need to cool off, we all know where this is leading, so why stop?", Tom started to take his pants off.

They were around his ankles when Janna slapped him in the face. Tom came out of his personal sanitarium and rejoined an angered Janna. Tom nursed the red mark on his face as she talked:

-„Tom, sit down.", she said, that is, commanded. Tom sat down on the bed.

-„Put your pants back on.", Tom did so begrudgingly.

Janna took a deep breath and pinched her nose as she tried to put into words what he needed to hear. They alluded her. What could she say to Tom to make him feel better? She felt suffocated again, too short on breath to say anything. She felt like she couldn't help Tom. So she decided to imagine herself sitting on the bed:

-„ Why are you in such a panic? Who told you any of this? Your parents? Everyone downstairs? Destiny?"

-„Well there was this one guy..."

-„So what?", she disciplined him," No deity came down and told you how everything is going to be, did it? Which means only one thing:"Nobody's gotta say in this other than you.". Just you alone. And your say was that you picked me, right?", Tom nodded as in shame,"And you need to break out this cycle, right?", Tom nodded in curiosity,"So why don't we do something you haven't done before? TRY.", their foreheads touched as Janna tired to pierce his eyes through to his head.

He didn't know why, but Tom felt a rising feeling in him after her speech. In his eyes it showed, Janna unable to not notice and crack a smile.

-„So, how about it? Why don't we give an actual crack at this thing?", for some reason all of Tom's previous fears subsided and he felt something else inside, a new feeling,"We go out on dates. We talk honestly. We don't care about the past or what anybody else says. We have fun and just enjoy ourselves.", with each suggestion Tom rose a little from the bed. He rose and rose using Janna as his guiding light until he stood up straight looking deeply into her eyes that were lit up just as his with motivation.

-"Now you said we'd be here for two hours. It's been an hour fifteen. Why don't we rock the floor again?", Janna's natural voice came back with a sweet smile on her lips.

Tom didn't need to say words. He just kissed Janna passionately and offered her his hand. As she touched his slightly scorched hand, a small feeling of guilt came over her. With a reminder what she heard in the bathroom, she threw it out of view and smiled. Halfway down the stairs, the image of the construct came back to Tom. A familiar feeling was coming over him. All he did was lock eyes with a confident Janna that gave him the brightest smile in the underworld. Tom went on with out second thoughts.


	5. I Seen What I Saw

There was something strange about Californians. Most knew this, but they never were able to put their finger on what it exactly was. It was as if they were disconnected from the rest of the country in a strange topsy-turvy world held in a bubble. Why was this? Tom liked to think that the collective drug use of the population for the past few decades somehow just went in everyone's consciousness and made everyone trip like never before. Ever since then, everyone saw strange entities in their daily lives. Then it made perfect sense why they didn't seem to notice him at all at a cafe while they had their morning coffee. It was weirder for Tom than for anyone else, he constantly scanned the gentrified cafe to see if anyone was surprised at the image of a demon in street clothes waiting to order.

Janna knew that nobody would mind, which is why they were there in the first place, and Tom's nervousness only distracted her as she tried to look through the drink menu.

-„Uh, Tom, we haven't even gotten anything and you're already paranoid. What's wrong?", she put down to menu to see him staring at one corner of the room.  
-„What? Nothings wrong!", Tom's voice went up a few octaves as he said that.  
-„Oh, yeah?"  
-„Yeah.", a small squeak escaped his mouth.  
-„Tom, just tell me what's wrong. You don't like this place? We can go somewhere else."  
-„No, it's not that. It's just that things seem so...quiet.", Janna was confused as to why that was a bad thing. This was one of the rare times that the cafe wasn't filled with pretentious hipsters typing on their laptops or talking on speaker phone. With the fresh morning light, it was perfect.

Saying that things seemed too quiet was the best Tom could come up with. The reality was much more simple and slightly shameful to him. All it was, was that he just hadn't gone on a stress free date in a long time and had simply forgotten how to act. There was only two of them, no one was cheating on the other, there wasn't a political war going on in the background, no universe destroying artifact in anyone's hands, Tom had jumped from the highest extreme to the lowest point.

-„Well, don't worry, there will be plenty of chaos after we've had our drinks.", Janna returned to the drink menu.

Her encouraging words didn't deter Tom from continuing to be paranoid, looking up and down and around. Seemingly bored with it, Tom started to add some rhythmic accompaniment as he tapped his finger on the round table. At first it was only tap-tap-tap, then it was taptap-tap-tap, then he decided to experiment with tap-pause-taptap-pause. Before he could add polyrhythms to the beat, Janna, annoyed, raised her hand to call the waiter so they could finally get their drinks.

She ordered some ice tea as usual and Tom ordered some hot chocolate. When the waiter left, Janna spoke determined to Tom:

-„Tom, outside of anything hellish or otherwordly, what do you do for fun?"  
-„Fun? Well...Uh...I...", he looked around," You really tore most of the list."  
-„I'm going to take that as you hadn't had any Earth fun."  
-„I have! Sometimes we come here and pretend we're UFOs to scare people."  
-„You're on the right track, just a bit too out there for me."  
-„Right track? I had fun on Earth, what's am I missing?"  
-„Oh, you young grasshopper. You have never hopped in any grass.", Janna kept her charm as she said that.  
-„Oh, really? This grasshopper probably has been in more meadows than you have."  
-„But they were fake, plastic meadows planted on dead terrain. That's like saying you've been to China by going to Chinatown."  
-„Then what exactly is Earth fun?"  
-„Oh, Tom haven't you got this? If I describe it, it would lose all meaning. You gotta live it.", Tom wasn't convinced by her words and was constantly getting distracted by thinking someone glared at him from the corner of his eye.  
-„But if I had to describe it,", Janna was intent on making him listen, „I'd describe it as not that glamorous, but the best time to be had. And there won't be any time to be paranoid with the fun we're gonna have!", she placed her hand on his," So, please, stop being so nervous.", Janna pleaded.

One look in her eyes made saying „Alright" the only rational decision for Tom. The waiter came with their drinks. Tom in newfound excitement, drank his hot chocolate in one chug to the surprise of the waiter. Not wanting to be out done, Janna did the same with her ice tea. She then searched the pockets of her hoodie for money.

„Don't worry, I got this.", Tom took out a few a golden coins out of his pocket. „This will do, right?", Tom said as he waiter smiled at glee at the coins in his hands.

With that, they were off.

The park they were walking through was lively with children playing all around. Most of them just pointed at Tom and said how cool they thought he looked which for some reason unnerved him.

The fresh morning breeze and sunshine were wonderful. It wasn't that dry summer temperature yet, just perfect for a day outside. Tom was wondering just what Janna had in mind when she meant „Earth fun". He was about to find out as they left the park, going on a road and over a bridge.

They stopped half way on the bridge, looking at the dry concrete basin below. It was as if they were alone, no cars or people in sight. As they just stood there admiring the basin that went all the way to the ocean, Tom couldn't help but ask:

-„Uh, Janna, what are we doing here exactly?"  
-„I'm glad you asked!", she said in enthusiasm as she went down some stairs on the other side of the bridge and under it, emerging with what looked like a skateboard turned into a small surfboard that matched her green hoodie perfectly.  
-„Cool, now you just need some water and we're good to go.", Tom said sarcastically.  
-„I know this isn't riding on harpies thousands of feet in the air, but just let me explain. There was a pretty big flood a couple of days ago not too far from Echo Creek."  
-„A flood? In California?", Tom checked his memory to see if he was out of date on the day of judgement.  
-„Yeah. Pretty cool, right?", Janna hugged the surfboard,"Most of it went into the river and they've been letting the excess flow into the ocean through this.", she pointed at the basin below.

Only one possible idea came into Tom's mind, and as usual he was both surprised and worried.

-„So you wanna surf the water as it comes through?"  
-„Exactly."  
-„Do you know how to surf?"  
-„Not a clue."  
-„...This isn't a secret suicide attempt, is it?", Tom said somewhere on the line between joking and worry.  
-„I don't need to know how to surf to surf! I got it all covered.", Janna was confident as ever.  
-„So when is the water supposed to come through?", Tom conceded to Janna's wishes.  
-„Well, right about... now.", off in the distance, the sound of water crashing into the concrete walls of the basin could be heard.  
Tom turned around to see the water thrashing from side to side behind them as it flowed downwards, then turned around and saw Janna, surfboard in hand, stood on the reeling waiting for the perfect moment to jump. He immediately grabbed her by the waist.  
-„Are you crazy!? You'll get yourself killed!", he yelled.  
-„I'm more likely to fall off from you holding me, than anything else! Let go!", Janna tried to push him away while maintaining balance.  
-„Janna, this is a little too dangerous for „Earth fun", don't you think?", Tom retaliated.  
-„You clearly haven't had any!"  
-„Janna, I can survive an atom bomb to the face, you can't even survive a fifty feet drop."  
-„We'll have to test it out some time!", Janna saw the coming tide and prepared mentally.

No matter how much she tried, Tom wouldn't let her go. Out of options, Janna snuck her hand under his armpit and gave him a small tickle. He turned out quite ticklish, letting go of her in surprise.  
Free, Janna just caught the tide as it came under the bridge. Not a single feeling of hesitation in her skin, she jumped at the leading wave.

She hit the surface of it and disappeared. Tom clutched railing in fear, he wasn't able to find her anywhere no matter how hard he looked. The front of the tide was already getting out of reach at ludicrous speeds. Tom got up on the railing, preparing himself to jump in.

He was stopped by the distinct sound of Janna's cheers off in the distance. Soaked, she was somehow on the front of the wave riding it with ease with a few moments of turbulence. Tom would have been impressed if he wasn't worried that she would fall off and hit the pavement with every wobbly movement.

Taking a step off the railing, Tom spouted flames from his palms that made him levitate in the air. Slowly accelerating himself, he followed the high on adrenaline Janna right above. They went past multiple city blocks and many bystanders that were either amazed or terrified. Not once did Janna seem to lose control, yet Tom couldn't help but think this was going to end badly.

Tom eased up on the flames and swooped down. He was just close enough to Janna to talk to her as they passed under other bridges at high speed.

-„Janna, wouldn't it be a good thing to stop now? Here, take my hand!", Tom yelled.  
-„You really don't understand „Earth fun", do you?", Janna turned her gaze from the „road" to Tom.  
-„I don't see how you could top this! Why don't we quit while we're ahead?"  
-„We? You're not the one on the surfboard last time I checked.", Janna crossed her arms, it didn't look like she was even trying, like the wave somehow bent to her will.  
-„I'm just trying to look out for-Watch out!", they were nearing the end of their ride.

A tight underground entrance was fast approaching, Janna realizing this was a part she hadn't prepared for. As the basin funneled and the water rose, Tom was caught by it, at its mercy. The tide kept getting faster and faster, Janna still somehow not falling off her makeshift surfboard. As they entered the tunnel, the water stopped being a tide and more of a projectile catapulting both of them through it at break neck speed. Neither of them broke their necks, fortunately. They went through the barrel of the tunnel, Janna the point of the bullet and Tom the gunpowder.

For the brief window of time where she could understand her surroundings, Janna saw a yellow bright light in her view. In the next second, she was catapulted out of the tunnel landing chaotically into a greater body of water. As she emerged from the water still holding onto her surfboard, she found herself at a familiar place. The beaches of Echo Creek, full of people wondering what were those two loud splashing sounds they heard.  
As everyone murmured about the event, Janna looked around for Tom. Her demonic friend then emerged gasping for air. Janna swam to him.

-„Well, you can't say it wasn't exciting?", Janna tired to make up for the unexpected ending.  
-„Janna, that tunnel ride was awesome.", Tom would have had more energy if had the same amount of breath, "But tell when we're doing something like that again.", Tom said in between heavy breaths.  
-„I'll keep that in mind.", Janna shrugged, thankful Tom didn't get hurt in any way.  
-„Also how did you even do that? How could anybody do that?", Tom thought back to how she made the wave her slave.  
-„She had some help with that.", a echoey voice said.  
-„Who said that?", Tom looked around.

Appearing like a figure out of mist behind Janna, was a man made out of purple transparent energy on an actual surfboard, shirtless and sporting the most tacky star shaped glasses.

-„Oh! So you can see him? Tom, meet Lance Milton. American champion in surfboarding from 1968 to 1972.", Janna moved so Tom could get a better look at the built like a brick house surfer.  
-„How you doing dude?", Lance said in a stereotypical„bro" surfer accent.  
-„Well...", Tom looked at his soaked clothes,"Not the best, but have been through worse."  
-„I called Lance to help me out. He was the one helping me surf all they way."  
-„I can't take all the credit, Jay. If it weren't for your natural coolness while you rocked that wave, I wouldn't have even come to you.", Lance put his glasses down to the tip of his nose.  
-„Still, thanks a lot. See you around."  
-„See you around Jay.", a wave of the same purple transparent energy formed out of nowhere and took Lance out to the open sea.  
„So Janna can commune with dead spirits. That's a surprise.", Tom thought and added it to the growing list. Now alone, the duo couldn't help but slightly laugh at the absurd situation. A reckless stunt of surfing a wave through a basin followed by a demon prince with the help of the ghost of a surfing champion? It would be hard to top for „Earth fun", but Tom had the suspicion that Janna would be able to.  
-„So you got a change of clothes?", Tom asked.  
-„Yeah...Well...Kinda slipped my mind.", Janna admitted.  
-„So what are we gonna do?", a thought appeared in Tom's mind which made him smile," You want me to dry your clothes for you?"  
-„Uh, fine. Let's just do it somewhere private.", Janna started to swim to the shore,"Oh, and don't stare, it creeps me out."  
-„I promise.", Tom said with a mischievous grin.

After they both dried their clothes thanks to Tom's flames, Janna knowing her surfing stunt couldn't be out done for the rest of the day decided to take a more laid back approach. There wouldn't be anything that threatened both their lives(well, in reality only Janna's) nor anything boring. They were walking through Janna's neighbourhood still enjoying the freshness in the air. Tom's theory about Californians was again under test as not one of her neighbours seemed to do a double take or even acknowledge that she walking with a demon. Another idea was thought of given Janna's tendency for the weird and queer. Maybe they had all gotten used to seeing such things living next to her. If that was true, then Tom wasn't the craziest thing she brought to Echo Creek. This made him feel a slight feeling of jealousy along with how impressed he was.

While they walked in silence, the skate-surfboard hybrid interested Tom. He couldn't fathom what it was doing under the bridge.

-„Janna, I hate to ask, but that isn't just some piece of wood you picked from under the bridge and are taking it home?"  
-„I'd take that as an insult since this is my skateboard, but with the bad transition job I did, you're excused.", Janna had left it there so she could surprise Tom when they got there.  
-„Wait, you skate?"  
-„Oh, yeah. Used to do it all the time a couple of years ago, then my board got totaled and I just kinda lost interest."  
-„So you and Jackie used to skate together?", Tom just assumed as it was the only thing he knew about the girl.  
-„Yeah, she won't stop nagging me take it up again.", Janna said in a lower, more annoyed voice. Tom tried to figure out what he said wrong, but decided to just continue.  
-„Must be fun. If you got an equivalent of a skateboard shooting through a tunnel, I'd like to try."  
Janna was conflicted what they would do next, only planning out the stunt and nothing else. Tom had just given her a great idea, no, the best idea.  
-„Tom, do you know how to skate?", she turned to him.  
-„Well, no. Not really a skill you need in the underworld."

As soon as he finished his sentence, Janna run off down the street. She went up to a garage door of one of the houses and opened it. Tom assumed that was her house, if Janna hadn't gone into some strangers garage to steal something, of course. The house was nice, if a little bland. It was two stories, beige as it could be, flat roof, a small patio and front yard. What caught Tom's eye was the garden. It had two collections of the finest black roses he had ever seen on Earth. The bright sunlight turned them slightly purple. Tom wasn't exactly entranced normally by flowers as he passed them by, but these ones pulled his eyes so he couldn't not admire them. The garage door slammed shut, broke his daze and Janna ran to him carrying a plane skateboard. She dropped it at his feet.

-„Tom, today I'm gonna teach you how to skate!"  
Tom turned his gaze from Janna to skateboard and back again disapproving.  
-„Why?", Tom stretched it out so he could have more time to think as to why she wanted this.  
-„Come on, Tom, it'll be fun! Ain't using this other board for anything else."  
-„No.", Tom quickly retorted.  
-„Pretty please?", Janna said annoyed, but she was so endearing, her wish so honest that Tom had to say yes. Only Tom did hide a sigh having to cave to Janna's commands again.

„So, how does this work, you just put both feet on it and it moves?", Janna simply nodded to his inquiry. Thinking he might as well try, Tom just put both his feet crooked on the board. The unfamiliar feeling of imbalance made Tom scream as he felt himself slipping. The board did move however, it was going towards Janna's garden. When he felt the last impressions of stability, Tom jumped from the board in desperation onto the grass of the front lawn on all fours, thankfully not touching the black roses.

Janna laughed uncontrollably when he hit the grass, not mocking Tom in anyway, but in a sincere heartwarming way. „Stop laughing at me!", Tom tried to defend himself lying on the ground. Even he knew what he did looked stupid and suppressed his laughter to have a facade of anger that quickly slipt away.

-„I think you need some practice!", Janna said still laughing.  
-„You think?", Tom's response made them laugh even more. Tom had gotten up and was coming back with the board.  
-„Come on, I'll show you.", Janna calmed herself down.  
-„I'm not sure I can exactly trust you, Janna. Maybe that was good and you're just lying to me!", Tom's joy carried over.

„Quit talking and just come here! Put the board down. Now just put your foot parallel to the board like this. Yeah, like that. For a beginner, you won't need a run up. You push with your other foot, then you straighten your feet out like this. Now go ahead, try it. Don't worry my soft prince, I'll be right next to you in case you ruin your mascara. Now, come on."

Tom did as Janna showed him, thought it didn't soften his fears of falling. Even as he couldn't be injured in any substantial way, he hated the feeling of losing balance. With a small push of his foot, Tom jumped from the pavement onto the board teetering side to side. Janna clasped both her hands with his making sure he couldn't fall. The street was just on the slightest of slightest slopes and the board went slowly with out aid. Imbalance still haunted Tom, from time to time he would have gone over if it weren't for Janna. Her hands were soft to the touch, his anchoring point.

They passed a couple of houses like this until Janna slowly let go of one of her hands. A moment of imbalance snuck up on Tom again. Janna still held one hand, walking right beside him, not rushing or dragging him as he went. This made Tom keep his cool and balance himself.

They made it to an intersection. Tom placed his foot back on solid ground. There was silence for a while.

-„So what do you think?", Janna said timidly.  
-„Yeah...Cool."

He looked and they were still holding hands. They blushed without shame as they looked at each other. It felt like little needed to be said. In the quiet suburb, they did this a few more times at a soft pace up and down the street, Tom having better balance each time. No words said, they just looking at each other silently one last time before going off to chase the sun beginning that just started falling after reaching its highest point.

Their antics afterwards were far tamer than the first two. They just walked around, searching for anything to have fun with. They found some stray dogs they happily gave some food from the local store and watched over some kittens they found on the street until their mother came back. It was a real wholesome afternoon. It felt nice to just slow down the wheel time and just be with each other. While they were together, it all felt so peaceful and freeing, everything they did together; like two birds gliding across a clear sky.

But Janna wouldn't let the experience wither away. One last thing had to be done before the sun completely went over the hills. Its golden rays shone on a town that simply wouldn't stop living. In every house, in every street there was a kid or more enjoying the freedom of summer days.

To Janna, watching the town's life was her way of having fun. On the top a single story building, her and Tom saw groups of people pass by in swimsuits on the other side of the street. There were sounds of splashing close by, so Tom assumed there were coming from a pool. Right next to Janna was a dozen water balloons freshly made.

-„Janna, I don't want this to become a trope of us going out, but what are we doing here?", Tom asked.  
-„Just a little fun before night time."  
-„And the water balloons?"  
-„You'll see. Just wait.", Janna said with a grin on her face.  
-„Okay.", Tom sighed for another secret scheme,"You got any data on your phone? I gotta send a text and I've ran out."  
-„Don't you guys have, like, infinite magical data?", Janna said as she overlooked.  
-„We do , but the companies got to stay in business somehow. So you got any?"  
-„Yeah, here you go. Not sure it'll go across dimensions.", Janna handed over her phone.  
-„All I gotta do is type in a specific number and it'll open.", Tom opened messages on the phone.

Tom had to tell his parents that he wouldn't be making it to dinner that night. It didn't seem that the water balloons would be the end of their day out together. Tom typed the message, signed it as him and typed the secret number for access to the underworld, underwhelmingly just being nine sixes in a row.

Tom clicked back and went to the full main page with all of Janna's conversations. Out of all the normal ones to have like for her mother and her friends like Marco, Star and Jackie, Tom noticed a strange name in the midst. The contact was under the name „William Blake". It shouldn't have been a surprise, but after the meeting with Lance today, Tom wondered if it actually could have been the English poet that he admired. Tom had planned to search for him, but hell was nearly infinite, so even if he was there, Tom doubted he would ever find him. Curiosity took the best of Tom. He looked over to Janna who still watched over the people below. He opened the conversation to see what the poet had to say. He didn't find any poetry unfortunately. What he found were many pictures of Marco in his room taken through his window. Tom should have been at least surprised, this wasn't the norm to this to your best friend, but it was Janna. The first picture was dated to last summer and it was just Marco sitting on his bed reading a book. Tom couldn't stop thinking just what exactly Janna wanted to shot and in morbid curiosity scrolled up to see more. The following few pictures were all from the same angle, nothing out of the ordinary as Marco simply did some things around his room.

Then he hit the twist in this story. Breaking the row of mexican boy pictures was a blonde girl taking off her clothes to her underwear. There were multiple shots of Star as she undressed. Tom couldn't look away as his felt his heartbeat go up. Janna was still looking over everyone passing by, not worrying what was taking Tom so long. Tom felt the time limit on her phone quickly ticking away, so he closed her messages and gave it back.

Tom didn't know what to think. It couldn't have been that she had a thing for with Star. She hated her, she took her best friend from her. Maybe the camera was automatic and took shots based on movement, how else was it from the same angle every time? If so, then what was Star doing in Marco's bedroom getting undressed? That was rhetorical, he wouldn't have been surprised if they'd gotten together before. And Janna was Janna, she was weird beyond definition, maybe this was just a way of having fun with Marco. It was crossing the line a little bit, sure, but there didn't need to be anything malicious behind it.

Tom looked at her focused expression. He thought about what he knew about Janna. So far, there was nothing suspicious about her absolute eccentricity, other than the picture. Even then, it could have only been a dirty thought in Janna's mind, nothing else. He kept his faith in her, even if there was the smallest bit of doubt he had to push away. So after a couple of hidden deep breaths, Tom struck up a conversation to break the silence which drove him to paranoid thoughts.

-„So, all in all, nice town you got here. Really lively."  
-„I haven't even shown you the worst parts of town, reserve your judgment."  
-„I think I know worse then what you have to offer. I don't think it will surprise me."  
-„Like I said, reserve your judgment."  
-„Janna, you live in a middle class suburb and go to a nice school. How ghetto can you be?", Tom was lighthearted like he had forgotten about a couple of seconds ago.  
-„You say that, but I know some pretty big degenerates back at school.", Janna turned to him.  
-„And bet you hang out with all of them. What, is Jackie one?"  
-„Well, she's gay, you're the demon here, you tell me."  
-„She is? Huh."  
-„What?"  
-„Nothing. Just didn't expect you to have a gay friend."  
-„Bet you like it though.", Janna had her trademark grin.  
-„What's that supposed to mean?"  
-„Come on, Tom, like you don't want to see me get freaky with her."  
-„Huh?", Tom's lightheartedness quickly faded away.  
-„You heard me. You want to see us have sleepovers, come each others hair, get close, start with an innocent kiss and then spend the night having some fun. Don't act like you never thought about it.", Janna's eyes focused like a viper.  
-„What? No!", Tom put the two words together in confusion.  
-„Even with Star?", Janna pierced him with his eyes, knowing everything, the guilty man standing in fear.

Tom felt that small bit of doubt expand to everything inside him. He had been tricked again, no anger, but pure dread at the thought that Janna could treat him like this. That she would do this when they had held hands earlier.

Janna's evil in her eyes then swung its pendulum to sheer laughter. She could keep up a facade consistently, probably better than Tom, but even she broke seeing him this flustered. Instead of relief, Tom felt the unknown before him expanding and confusing him to no end.

-„You guys really are gullible. See one thing you don't want to see and immediately have an existential crisis.", Janna looked at his judging eyes realizing the joke.

The cloud over Tom disappeared. It was all a tease, a joke. Tom thought it over multiple times. At first, he was slightly appalled that Janna would do such a thing and it didn't answer his question why Janna had the pictures. The more times he went over it in his head and the longer he saw Janna laughing, he started to see the funny in it. Not only that, he also saw the sincerity. She had the trust in him to acknowledge it and turn it into a joke. If it was evil she would hide it, for nothing pure and true holds shame to itself. Slowly, Tom joined in chuckling as Janna calmed herself down.

-„Sorry, Tom but it was a too good thing to let pass.", Janna caught his eyes once again.  
-„I guess I deserve that for looking through your phone.", Tom shrugged.  
-„Don't blame yourself, guys just get curious sometimes, like girls do."  
-„I wasn't looking at Marco, Janna."  
-„Until you hit Star you did. Don't worry Tom, it's okay to experiment."  
-„I think this is just you Janna. What, did you fantasize about me and Marco-", Tom was cut off as Janna out of nowhere grabbed a water balloon and threw it at an out of view target with ridiculous speed.

Turning his head, Tom saw a soaked black haired girl on the other end of the street with a couple of surprised people around. Diamond patterns were on her dark blue swim suit, now dripping with cold water. She flipped her wet hair back searching for the culprit. She laid her eyes on the roof, Janna standing with a grin and Tom surprised.

-„Dammit, Janna! I'll get you for this!", Brittany Wong said with pure passion.  
-„Did I ruin your make up, Brittany?", Janna shouted smug.  
-„No, you ruined my outfit!"  
-„It's a swimsuit, it's supposed to get wet!"  
-„It's for showing off, you basic whore!"  
-„Well this basic whore probably did a better job at getting you wet than your boyfriend ever did.", Janna proudly said in public.

„You bitch, do you know what I'm gonna do to you...", then Brittany listed off her threats for Janna. She had heard them many times before and this probably wouldn't be the last time. It involved mostly her daddy, how she would evict her from her own house, how she'd become her servant, ect. the usual suspects. Tom watched in curiosity this one sided cat fight. Brittany was so mad she didn't even seem to acknowledge that Tom was there. Her berating went on and on without stop that Janna didn't even pay attention after a while. Tom leaned in at the still being yelled at Janna:

-„Can you explain this to me?", Tom said quietly as from here they could still have a conversation away from Brittany.  
-„Does it need to be? Spoiled rich kid throwing a tantrum. Just look at her.", Brittany's threats were becoming incomprehensible as she was getting shorter on breath but not stopping.

What little enjoyment Janna had from this was gone. It was the same old, same old with Brittany and it only bored her to tears now. She showed this by nonchalantly yawning Brittany continued.  
She didn't even think about the rest of the balloons right next to her, she was so bored. Tom saw this as an opportunity. While Janna stood stoic against Brittany, Tom snuck around her and grabbed one balloon. He then hid it behind his back.

Brittany's tirade served to Janna as calming, like a meditation. She thought about what else she had to do tomorrow. Right as she was getting to her chores, a speeding projectile came from out of nowhere hitting Brittany so hard it knocked her back and put her on her flat ass.

Tom still had his hand out in front after throwing the balloon when Janna turned around to him. Tom only shrugged. It seemed appropriate to do. Here was the perfect example of greed and he was meant to punish sin, so why not? Janna cracked him an affirmative smile.

Even feeling a bit shell shocked, Brittany still got right back up and finally registered the figure standing next to Janna.

-„You! I'm gonna find out who you are...", and Tom got his own threats.  
-„You wanna bail on this chick?", Janna asked.  
-„Hell yeah.", they then got off on the other side of the building and ran to escape Brittany.

The early night brought with it a cool breeze. Tom and Janna were now walking through a park in silence. After they left Brittany, they had a small discussion about what a brat she was; after that, there wasn't much to talk about nor did it feel needed. They had been walking for a few hours now, sometimes shortly discussing the smallest things just to hear each other's voice. The town had gotten quiet, so neither of them wanted to speak up. They spoke in soft and slightly hush tones just so only the other could hear them and no one else.

It was a strange comfort for both of them. Janna levitated as she walked and talked, a new never before seen force lifting her up. Tom was delighted every time he saw it on her face, this new life. Tom never thought he could be this interested in a human, but Janna threw something unexpected at every turn. He had found something hidden and rare in the outright distracting world. When he wasn't looking at her, instead on the path they trod, a feeling in the back of his head gnawed at him. Was Janna really being honest about what she did? Or was she just tricking him within a trick? Anytime he thought this, he would look at her face again and the thought would be lost. In the breaks however, he contemplated that maybe he was deceiving himself. Maybe what he thought when he was looking away was correct and when he saw her was just him being put under a spell. This made Tom a couple of times during the walk be deep in thought, his eyes focused on a single point as he walked. Janna, however, never lost her smile.

With no conclusion to his thoughts, the both of the stopped on the park walkway next to a bench. Janna turned her freeing eyes onto him:

-„Well, Tom I hope you found Earth fun enjoyable.", she said softly.  
-„Wouldn't say it was the craziest, but it's definitely up there on the fun scale."  
-„Who knew you could have fun on a date?"  
-„Guess there's always a surprise with you.", Tom remembered what he saw once again, slightly dampening his smile.  
-„Tom, what's wrong?", Janna took immediate notice.  
-„Oh, nothing, just, you know paranoid Tom.", Tom tried to put that into a joke; Janna's first frown of the night stopped him.

The calming silence was replaced with an awkward one as they both avoided eye contact for a while. Then they noticed the surroundings. Park, bench, night time, the two of them alone. It felt inappropriate.

-„Well, I guess, see you around.", Janna said stunted.  
-„Yeah, see you around.", Tom said in a lower tone.

Janna then turned and started to walk away. Tom just stood behind staring at the stars. She knew exactly what bugged him and no joke could clear his mind. Hos eyes were to the sky looking for help. This timid goodbye couldn't be the way they ended tonight. Tom heard the sound of sneakers hitting the ground running. Janna came back and embraced him with her arms and gave him a deep, passionate kiss. The lights that followed the walkway gave the scene its halo. Tom was so surprised it took a bit before he could fully taste the sweetness on her lips. It was one of those moments that lasted forever, an unending warmth radiating from the kiss through out their bodies. Breaking away and both blushing, they felt the hot breath of the other on their neck.

-„So, how can I make it up to you?", Janna couldn't break away from his eyes.  
-„How about you finally give your phone number?", Tom asked.  
-„Oh.", Janna was surprised they hadn't gotten there yet.

They both took out their phones and Janna dictated her phone number while Tom typed it. Raising their heads together for another look through each other's eyes, there was no doubt in either of them same as there were no words for how at peace they felt.

-„Goodbye, Tom.", Janna said softly.  
-„Goodbye, Janna."

Janna turned away, the feeling of butterflies in her stomach. As he saw her walk away, Tom only wondered if she felt how he felt. No more doubt, Tom walked through his portal with a steady step.


	6. Front Row

Abstract shapes danced against the backdrop of the void before her. She couldn't grasp anything solid within the whirlpool of swirling colours. The last time she saw the definitive lines of something there was a distant memory, it seemed. Just watching it all go by put her in a trance, unmoving and barley consciousness. The whirlpool mixed all its elements and became yellow like the bright sunlight with a few other distant colours in her periphery. The light became clearer and clearer, unnatural for the many times she had this experience. Yet she definitive black lines forming in it. She couldn't tell what it was supposed to be. The lines seemingly went into their final positions. They moved slightly. It gave the final context, for those were shut eyes she saw. Opening slowly and sending a chill wind to her, piercing blue eyes stared back. She wasn't disturbed, on the contrary, she was intrigued beyond belief. Yet the eyes kept their gaze a little bit too long, the air getting thinner each passing second. She opened her eyes to avoid them and saw three red ones in her vision immediately.

-„Hello there, beautiful.", Tom said floating above Janna's bed, facing her.

Frightened, Janna's immediate reaction was to punch what she saw. She used everything she had and punched Tom in the chest, sending him back first to the ceiling of her room, cracking it, then immediately falling to her floor. She realized the full situation a few moments later as Tom got up from the ground groaning in pain.

-„What the-Tom!? What are you doing here!?", Janna said in a blind fury.  
-„I was trying to be romantic.", Tom held his shoulder.

His landing was thankfully less painful than his trip up, as he landed on a bed of the softest petals coloured black.

-„Wait, what's this?", Janna said in immediate curiosity seeing the petals under him.  
-„They're black roses. I wanted to surprise you with them", Tom was disappointed it hadn't come to fruition.  
-„How did you know they were my favourite?", Janna said blushing a bit.  
-„I saw them in your front yard. And you really seem like the girl who would like that."  
-„Well...Thank you.", Janna was flabbergasted for a minute,"But this is still hella creepy, dude.", then she wasn't,"Did you watch me sleep?"  
-„No! I've been here for, like, five minutes just setting this up. And what's the problem? You sleep in pink pajamas."  
-„No I don't.", Janna covered herself with her blanket to hide the fact.

If she was honest, it was the only thing in her room she was ashamed of. While the room was deceptively bright, Janna undid this by having it be decorated by anything gothic she could find. Behind her were numerous posters of metal bands, her sheets were a velvet red, and any accessories she had were coloured black. It didn't seem like a surprise how Tom managed to figure it out, now she thought about it.

Her room wasn't that messy for Tom's arrival. The only real mess there was was on her table by the window as it had some miscellaneous ingredients she used all unorgnaized. The only other thing, on the floor, there were a couple of random things she used for rituals, like paint, scented candles and incense. And of course the petals Tom so graciously brought.

-„Janna, what's that racket?", the distinct voice of her mother could be heard in the hall way filling Janna with fear.  
-„Quick, hide somewhere!", Janna commanded Tom in a whisper.

Tom immediately went for her closet as the safest bet. As soon as he opened it, a huge wooden scepter with a skull on top of it along with jumbled up clothes all fell on him driving him to the floor once again. He was about to get up and look for another hiding place, when Janna's mom poked out of the door.

-„Janna, what are you do-Oh, hello there.", she casually noticed Tom with the heap of clothes on him, not even phased by the wooden skull scepter.

It was clear how she was Janna's mother with how casually beautiful she was, at least Tom thought. She had the same exact skin tone and was mature in her beauty. Tom guessed she must have had Janna when she was quite young, as it looked she was barley pushing fourty. He didn't say any of his complimentary thoughts caught in the act like this. Her hair was long and curly. She wore a black singlet, her chest developed for motherhood. She wore tight jeans that went to her sandal wearing feet. Her eyes were dark just like Janna's, the definitive seal of the blood between them.

She saw her daughter blushing in bed and the scene suddenly became clear.

-„You must be Janna's boyfriend.", Tom simply nodded.

After thinking a while, she said:

-„Would you like to join us for breakfast?"

Tom sat opposite Janna at her dinner table while her mother made breakfast. The kitchen and dinning table were right next to each other, the usual kitchen-counter combination. Janna's mother was using the toaster press after putting a few slices of meat into each piece; all the while Tom tried to ask Janna for an explanation. They couldn't even whisper it was so quiet, Tom looked at her with confused eyes wanting an answer. All Janna could do was shake her head also confused. Her mother then came to the table with two plates of toast:

-„You like toast, Tom?", she asked kindly.  
-„Uh, yeah.", she put the two plates down and sat between them. They dug in.  
-„I've heard a lot about you, Tom.", Tom gave Janna a confused glare as soon as she said that,"Well, not heard about,", she turned her head to Janna noticing,"but have made many guesses while the two of you talked on the phone."  
-„Must have been something to piece together? Did you ever think I would be a demon prince?", Tom tried to break the ice.  
-„A demon prince? I thought you were just a regular demon off the streets.", Tom tugged his collar; the last thing he wanted was to surprise Janna's mother too much.  
-„But I can say I'm pleasantly surprised.", she gave a wink to Janna,"We might at least get to know each other, what's your full name Tom?"  
-„Oh,", Tom swallowed the bite in his mouth," it's Lucitor. Tom Lucitor."  
-„And your full full name, middle and all?", she asked courteously.  
-„Oh. Well, then it's Tom David Lucitor."  
-„Your father's named David?"  
-„Everyone just calls him Dave. He's human."  
-„Human?", she said in surprise,"Well, I gotta meet him someday, maybe I know him.", she said joyfully.  
-„Don't think so. He's from Salt Lake City."  
-„Oh. Well, of course, only those folks could become kings of hell.", Tom took the strange compliment,"My name's Celine, by the way."  
Janna was nearly finished with her meal, so Tom stopped talking so he could catch up. As they ate, Janna's mother gave them a few curious glares, which they both caught that didn't stop her from still having a prideful smile.  
-„Well, I'm off to work. Goodbye , Tom!", she got up from the table.  
-„Goodbye!", Tom was confused whether to call her Celine or Mrs. Ordonia, so he just went for the safe option.  
-„See you sweetie!", she gave Janna a kiss on the cheek,"Your boyfriend's a stud, by the way.", she whispered in her ear turning her red.

It wasn't so much the inappropriate comment which made her blush, it was just that today was the first day anyone called him her „boyfriend". It felt so out of place. As soon as her mother went out the front door and she heard the car going out the driveway, she returned to normal. There was a comfortable silence as the two of them finished the small bits of toast.

-„So...When are you gonna tell her about the crack in the ceiling?", Tom could feel it still marked on his back.  
-„When she sees it.", Janna said swallowing the last piece of toast,"You okay by the way?"  
-„Yeah, nothing time won't fix."  
-„...Thanks, by the way. For the petals.", Janna said after being quiet for a moment.  
-„You already said that."  
-„Yeah, but I... wanted to say it again since you had to meet my mom."  
-„Oh. Well thanks then." , Tom wasn't expecting a compliment after how things went,"And your mom seems nice, it wasn't that bad. Just to make sure, your dad isn't somewhere around, is he?", Tom asked.  
-„No, he works up in Alaska at an oil rig. He left just a couple of weeks ago, so don't wet yourself in fear, dear prince.", Tom was a bit in shock at how flatly Janna said this. If he didn't see his father for months at a time, he'd be devastated. But it didn't seem to bother Janna, so it probably wasn't a big deal.

Janna got up from the table and laid down on her couch to watch TV. Janna lifted her feet up and put them on Tom's lap as he sat down. Tom watched with her, fiddling around with her bare feet and sometimes cheekily tickling her.

He was confused what exactly they were watching. It was some animated show about female intergalactic warriors, Tom gathered from the loose bits of context he could piece together. They were all extravagantly dressed and even had a small human sidekick. They were losing against some evil dude by the time he finally started to pay attention. So to defeat him, two of them merged together with some...quite provocative imagery. Needless to say, Tom wasn't interested, nor was Janna who saw right past the TV. Not wanting to take any more of this, Tom said:

-„So what are we gonna do today?"  
-„No idea.", Janna simply responded.  
-„What, no Earth fun planed today?"  
-„You gotta space it out, otherwise you get numb to it."  
-„So do I get a say in what we should do?"  
-„Does it involve anything life or world threatening?", Janna looked at him eyes half open.  
-„...Does searching for Bigfoot count as world threatening?"  
-„Sorry Tom, but today I just wanna chill."  
-„Well, Mrs. Lebowski what do you have in-„ he was cut off by his phone buzzing in his right pocket.

His mother sent him a message saying that there was a council he had to attend, though she assured him it would be short.

-„Uh, gotta go to a stupid meeting."  
-„Really?", Janna said disappointed.  
-„Yeah, it will probably be over quick. I'll come right back and then we can...do whatever it is you want to do.", Tom said stuck.  
-„Well, we could...I'll think of something when you come back."  
-„All right then. I'll be back soon. See ya."  
-„See ya.", Tom then stepped through a fiery portal back home. Janna immediately sat upright and sighed in relief as she had uncomfortable goosebumps.

She didn't show it, but she was struggling to keep a disinterested face while she ate when Tom talked to her mother. She had to focus every moment just to keep her cool even though it slipped in places. She struggled to keep a single drop of sweat from going down her face as Tom fiddled with her feet. In her room she was surprised, unable to understand what was happening. At the dinner table with her mom and Tom, however, it all came clearly into view. Usually when she saw Tom she had some prep time before it. Not getting dressed or dolled up, just mentally preparing herself. There wasn't any other way she could face him. He still wouldn't mention that whole marriage thing with Star and the longer he didn't say anything, the more on edge she felt. It was completely unreasonable to think so; the relationship was doomed from the start, she couldn't change it. But a small part of her thought it could. Maybe, Star had found out about their affair before the restaurant, maybe Tom made her affair up, she could have just done it out of revenge. Now that she thought about it, Star did give her a few strange glares that night she hadn't remembered before. Not knowing about it when she saw them and when Tom yelled at her could have been an elaborate play of acting the victim. As Janna thought about it endlessly, sitting at the edge of the couch, she slowly began to realize she was hyperventilating.

She ran to her ocean blue bathroom and gave her self a few splashes in the face. She looked longingly into her wet face in the mirror, then sat down on the seat down toilet. Her face in her hands, she slowly began her mental routine to face Tom. Over and over again, she repeated how it didn't matter what she thought as long as Tom and her were happy. Each time she said this in her head, it became weaker. It felt forced and fake. After another miserable repeat she gave up and swirled in her thoughts.

She understood why she was so upset. The image of Star in a white wedding gown was never to be. Something so pretty wasted on someone else's mistake. Except, if she married Marco. What a thought. If it did happen, Janna would understand fully. She's a beautiful girl that any guy would die to have. She was the summer incarnate, always looking great in whatever dress she wore. Next to her, Marco's choice made perfect sense. She could command magic, was strong as could be, all while having a cute petite body. That she hid from everyone. Janna remembered the pictures her automatic camera took. How could something that could bring anyone to their knees be so small and humble? Unknowingly, Janna's hand went under her skirt and felt the first few drops.

She rubbed herself slowly, not even thinking about Star. The more she did, the more she just invaded her mind and every thought she had. Her head was her kingdom and Janna was in her barren royal hall, between the gueen in blue's thighs doing her best while her mistress sat on her throne and twirled her royal wand bored. It felt like an honor to be in the midst of such carefully made royal clothes, even her undergarments regal like nothing else. A look of excitement went across the queen's face. Heavy footsteps came closer, Janna in her periphery seeing the king's royal clothes. She heard the sound of unzipping above her as she struggled to keep the pace up. Needing a break, Janna looked up for a split second and saw the queen giving the best she had to the large dark skinned king who wore a satisfied smile. The queen slapped her feeling her stop; she immediately went back at it. She could hear the king's moans more clearly as time went on. His voice was quite high pitched as he was getting closer. The king took a deep breath as he unloaded his giant stream, Janna feeling a few lone drops come down to her, the best she would ever get. As the king went out of view, Janna not even seeing his face again, the queen looked down at her disappointed. This whole time she wasn't able to make her finish. The queen pulled her by the hair and took her to her deserved punishment. Janna could feel her body tense up as she continued, the lone drops now covering her whole hand. Yet as she felt her whole body tense up ready for the finale, she stopped by pulling her hand at the last minute. She didn't think the queen would ever let her cum after what she did.

A few deep breaths and she went right back at it. The cycle repeated endlessly, Janna imagining what was coming to her. Whether she was in chastity, forced to watch the king and queen, be used as their play thing in their royal chambers, get done by a many other men, Janna kept coming up with fantasy after fantasy never letting herself cum. It was stronger than her. Her will broke under this sweet pain as her body tensed expecting climax. It was a battle between two forces: Janna's desire to cum and her desire to punish herself. She was her own slave. Time stopped being a factor. She just automatically did it with nothing to break it. Every time she came back from the edge she got more and more tired and weary yet felt on cloud nine. The things she imagined she didn't ever think she could, the depravity sending her to new depths.

The routine was starting to tire on her, she just wanted to get up and leave, but wouldn't allow herself to. If nothing else, just to reach orgasm, a hope she desperately clung on to. Not sure if she was going insane, she heard a voice from outside:

-„Janna, where you at?", Tom searched the house for her.

Janna didn't know how long she had been in here; long enough for Tom's meeting to be over, apparently. She was absolutely drenched from all the edging. Coming back to reality, Janna realized the shameful situation. But she still needed a resolution. She left her panties in the bathroom as she went out to Tom. He was standing in the living room:

-„Hey, where were yo-„, Janna immediately came at him with a kiss, surprising him. She needed to feel all of him.  
-„I figured out what we can do today...", she immediately pushed him to the couch and mounted him like an animal.

Tom couldn't say a thing as she kissed him dominantly. It was only when he felt her bare ass and wet pussy rub up on his cock did the get the full picture. No further explanation needed, Tom went right along.

They took the fun upstairs, holding hands as they ran into Janna's room, trampling over the clothes and petals on the floor. Tom immediately jumped on Janna's bed, Janna also jumping on him and kissing him incessantly. Their teenage minds were hell bent on having their fun. Unbeknownst to them, there was something that would ruin it if they ever found out. Janna's closet was now closed, even though she hadn't closed it, except it was the tiniest bit open, enough for someone to poke their eye out of, for example. To see their endless lust and be enthralled. That was exactly how Anna felt in the dark watching the the two lovers.

Anna had heard Janna's desperate moans while she was on the ground floor, putting her keen ear to the bathroom door. She had a wicked smile through all of it, hearing Janna unknowingly mumble words like:"Marco...Marco...Please let me cum...I've been a bad girl...". Exactly what she wanted to dig up on her when she came here. She was certain this was just a part time thing with Tom, why would he ever want her? It took some snooping around Tom to figure out where this whore actually lived, but it was worth it just to find out how pathetic she actually was. Actually, she only wanted to search the house for some dirt, something that would turn Tom off her for good, she didn't have the patience for them to break up. That she knew this puny human was weak like this was better, the sign of her assured victory. Anna was just stood next to the door enjoying the show. Then Tom came back inside through the front door, the courteous bastard. Anna ran quietly up stairs and into the first room she saw. An open closet was the best bet she had. And now she was at part two of her cinema experience.

The light coming through the small opening lit up her evil grin. Janna took off Tom's pants and revealed what Anna waited so long to see. Janna immediately took it all in, no questions asked. Oh, how Tom's face excited Anna, so consumed by pleasure. Up and down Janna went, riding Tom's cock and moaning wildly, her breasts bobbing with her. Still riding Tom, she took her t-shirt off and pushed her bra up revealing her plump breasts. „Tom at least has good aesthetic taste.", Anna thought. Through her moans she would sometimes desperately call out his name:"Tom!.. Tom!... You're so big!", Tom was caught off guard with her just going straight for it. He was there to pleasure her and his contorted face each time Janna came down was the sign he loved it. Under attack like this, Tom felt his orgasm coming closer. His hips moved trying to tell Janna that he wouldn't last much longer and needed a break (he wouldn't allow himself to come undone so easily), but Janna just wouldn't let him stop her amazing ride. This turned into a small battle, Tom trying to withstand Janna's walls while trying to enjoy them at the same time, while Janna without even thinking kept him under her with an iron fist. All with not a single word exchanged, just moans and two minds fighting in the background. Tom's cock was dripping with a mixture of him and her on it, each time he hit her sex another step toward climax. Anna bit her lip at the sweet sight.

A small surge went through Tom's cock, the beginning of the end. As fast as he could, Tom lifted Janna up with his hands off of him, put her backside on the bed and spread her legs as far as he could. Tom then ploughed straight into her, Janna moaning an octave up from before. Anna's hand was dangerously close to her thighs, nearly going under the skirt of her magenta summer dress; she noticed and quickly put it behind her back. Tom rammed Janna as hard as he could, feeling himself submit to her as she became tighter and tighter. Out of nowhere, he unloaded into her and Janna embracing him also came, their moans hidden as they kissed during the climax. Tom pulled out still flowing a bit and simply hugged Janna. As their breathing became stable again they caught each other's tired eyes. He looked so peaceful looking into hers. Janna had a smile on her face, which, for a moment, came, then came back as she kissed him again.

-„Really surprised you, didn't I Tom? You're not a one pump chump, are you?", Janna said whispering in his ear.  
-„You just caught me off guard, that's all. I gotta a lot longer to run", he said mischievously.  
-„I bet you do.", Janna still wanted more.

Tom whisked her from the bed and carried her out of the room. Anna could hear the sound of water running in the bathroom, they must have went to clean up. Her grin went across her entire face, the only possible reaction she could have to seeing her love crush a slut with his cock. She got out of the closet and saw the mess they made on the bed. She hoped they had a top of the line washing machine. Anna looked around the room. The gothic decorations and ritual elements told her that this was a quite out there teenage girl. Too bad she was just a rebound, weak like every other human. Anna went through the window and left Tom and Janna to their devices.

Anna waltzed through her apartment door with a smile on her face. Coming home after a victory is guaranteed to lift the spirit up. The apartment was specious, the demon girl no stranger to luxury, but was done in a more retro fashion. It was mostly dark wood that made most of the shelves, tables and was the framework of the stone fireplace. There were a few small, lone windows that went out to a quite barren hellscape, now rolled down turning everything pitch black. The furniture was all cotton or silk with some beautiful demonic images etched into the fabric of every couch and sofa. With the timid fire, the whole room was coloured burgundy which made it feel like a comfortable home. Her own touch was all the demonic artwork on the walls and on all the furniture making it a home just for her.

Anna sat on the couch facing the fireplace stretching herself as far she could. Just as she was was staring to bask in her glory, the phone on the table next to her rang. On the other side was the sultry voice of a much older woman.

-„Hello, Anna.", the voice said.  
-„Hey, mom.", Anna said to the unwelcome surprise.  
-„How are you, dear?"  
-„Like always, just fine.", Anna said annoyed.  
-„How everything going? Have you got your life insurance like I told you?"  
-„Yeah."  
-„Including Rapture day compensation?"  
-„That would have taken like another week. I just took the normal conditions."  
-„Anna, how could you? You never know when those pretentious bastards above will decide to throw the hand down!"  
-„Mom, it's not a problem.", Anna tried to calm her mother down with some anger in her voice.  
-„Aren't you grateful that your mother calls you now and again?", her mother said angry.  
-„If by that you mean three times a week, then yeah, I'm definitely grateful."  
-„Well don't worry, you won't hear from a while after this. I'll be going on vacation.", her mother said smug.  
-„Where are you going?", Anna tried to have an actual conversation with her mother, better than arguing with her.  
-„We'll be visiting Crowley's mansion, he's having a party there over the weekend and after that a week boat trip across Styx."  
-„Sounds fun."  
-„You're free to join us if you want."  
-„Thanks, but I got other things planned. Maybe next time.", Anna felt it a chore to say those words again.  
-„As you wish.", her mother's tone meant the opposite,"But enough chit-chat, there's a reason I called you.", Anna knew this would be fun,"I want to talk to you about your courting habits."  
-„You mean my love life? It's not the the nineteenth century, mom."  
-„Whatever, all the same. I'm finding you haven't been looking for anyone."  
-„Yeah, so what? Lots of girls don't look for boyfriends."  
-„And lots of women get cats in their late thirties. You can't just sit at home waiting for the perfect moment or man."  
-„I'm not. I have something going on right now.", Anna defended herself.  
-„Whatever you're doing with Tom doesn't count, sweetie.", Anna knew this was coming,"Imagine if I kept going after my exes in my youth? Your father and I probably wouldn't have gotten together."  
-„You and dad met met at a Paganini concert where he cursed you with one of his compositions for an eternity together!"  
-„And it is has so far been the best eternity I could ask for. So don't be a lazy slouch when it comes to love.", her mother insisted.  
-„Yeah, yeah.", that was Anna's signal to end the conversation.  
-„Goodbye, Anna, love you."  
-„Love you too, bye.", Anna hung up the phone.

She sighed in relief. She couldn't count the times her mother called her to give her life advice. Some of it was useful, true, but lately all she could bring up was her need for a relationship. Anna blocked out all those conversations in her memory, too many of them and too repetitive to be able to care. She now laid on the couch wanting to get comfortable after the phone call.

She closed her eyes and thought back to what she saw that made her feel like a winner. How sweet Janna's moans sounded. „She'll never get anywhere with Tom. Not being that weak.", Anna thought in delight; how easily the girl could be dominated, Janna was just a slave in her eyes. Then she thought back to the cinema show. Tom's face drenched in pleasure made her nipples immediately hard. She didn't need to fantasize about it, she would see it up close soon enough. Fast forwarding through the love making session Anna landed on Tom's face post-coitous. Anna's smile became weaker. He looked so...at peace. His eyes were unmoving, entranced by Janna. Then she remembered the smile Janna had. The glint in those black hole eyes mystified Anna. Completely ready to serve her master under any conditions. She didn't seem ashamed, degraded, she had the exact same look that Tom gave her. Legs spread, ready to take it all for him. How could she be so submissive and so...satisfied?

„They're probably still doing it. Tom filling her up time after time. Bet she loves it.", Anna's thoughts went to an unexpected territory. Uncomfortable there, she opened her eyes. She hadn't noticed that her hand had gone under the skirt of her dress and was softly touching her wet nether region. She was appalled that that human made her do that, she was above whatever those earthly creatures did. Back in her own home, however, Anna couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that she couldn't explore the new space in her head. It felt new, exciting, a detour from her regular shrine of thoughts around Tom. Just to entertain the thought a bit more, she rubbed slowly, she would never give the girl the satisfaction of orgasming to her. She closed her eyes again, this time a clearer picture coming into view. All the hairs on her body stood up realizing what she saw. Janna was blowing Tom who was in sheer ecstasy. Tom orgasmed uncontrollably all over her face. Janna masturbated on her knees feeling the demon prince shower her with his seed. He then took her from behind mercilessly pounding her without hesitation. Anna put her tounge out as if to catch the drops of semen that dripped off his cock as he fucked her.

Anna started to moan, but didn't notice it. The warmth of the fire made her tense as she felt the chill of her thoughts go over her body. The next image in her head was her and Janna both on their knees staring at Tom's throbbing cock. They each took a side and lubed Tom up with their hot saliva. Tom tried to hide his moans that still came through his gritted teeth. He tasted so good and she would sometimes cross over with Janna doing her own part. What Janna was doing there didn't cross Anna's mind at the time. After the prep work, they were all on a bed, Anna kissing Tom while Janna was down under. There was a longing look between her and Tom. Not breaking eye contact, Anna rode his cock with pleasure. Janna blocked her view, sitting on his face and feeling his long tounge, facing Anna. As both girls were engulfed in the pleasure of their master, they couldn't help but direct the excess of it to each other. On cloud nine there was enough love to go around, so they kissed and played with their tounges feeling themselves getting closer. In an unison moan transferred between them, they both came uncontrollably. Anna's body tensed and bent under the wave she felt coming. She opened her eyes and moaned hysterically as she came. She panted seeing her messy hand that relieved her. Her sexual satisfaction was second to her feeling of complete hatred she felt.

The couch was now a mess, she would need to call one of the servants to clean up; hopefully he wouldn't ask too many questions. In her sinful relief, Anna still had a picture of Tom in her head. All three of them were on the bed, a soft embrace from her and Janna to their sleeping master. Anna wanted to wipe the girl away from the picture, but she was the only pair of eyes she could look at on the bed. She had that same damn satisfied smile. „So there's something to this girl after all.", Anna smelt her juices with glee. At the same time it brought suppressed anger that couldn't break through her sexual ecstasy. "Guess I'll just have to step up my game.", that thought had much more sinister things behind it than could be said in pure words. Tired, Anna got up from the couch.


	7. Night Of the Living Past

Tom had his feet on his table as he was sat down with a contented smile. He was feeling a bit drained after the marathon Janna gave him yesterday, but the pride he felt today after it made him still have the energy to face anything. Motivation filled him, the best use of it to take some time to rest before he started to work. He could have faced a entire dragon army if he wanted to, only he didn't, his only wish to sit back in his chair and smile. Nothing brings confidence up like a few rounds in bed. Tom took whatever random thing was on his desk and inspected it, fiddling around to pass the time until he would start his duties today. Too early for his liking, he heard a knock on his door. One of his little goblin servants scaredly opened the door.

-„Master Tom?", said the servant in a sickly voice.  
-„Yeah?"  
-„Your presence is requested in the throne room."  
-„Me? What for?"  
-„There is a certain problem between two of our inhabitants that needs solving."  
-„Why not just get my dad to do it?"  
-„Your father is away for the morning, off at a meeting in the Butterfly Kingdom.", Tom had somehow managed to keep himself away from any royal duties there, dreading the day when he would have to go to another ball and see her.  
-„Alright, I'll be down in a minute.", the servant went away as Tom began to get dressed into something more regal.

Tom made his way down to the spacious throne room. The floor was pristine, mirror-like marble, with complex granite patters while the long, red royal carpet showed the subjects the way to their masters. The two he saw as he came from the right of the throne, one chair being comically large, were only to be averted with your eyes. They were humans, completely naked save for a loin cloth given to them upon their entrance. In top form, they maybe weren't so unpleasant. As they stood now, with their beaten, bloody flesh all over and worn bodies past the lowest level of decay, only Tom could have talked to them face to bone like face, not enough gray hair on the old men to cover it up.

The only thing not completely worn out on them were their vocal chords apparently. They argued incessantly facing no shortage of breath, echoing through out the hall. Their voices were clear, although thick like a sailor's. Tom came in as they were still arguing:

-„Can't you just shut up! You ruined my run up!", one said.  
-„I was having a breather! You could have gotten out of my way!"  
-„Only someone as slow as you could think I could turn at that speed! Say one more thing and I'll lay out on this rug!"

-„Fellas, fellas! You'd better be arguing about whose gonna take me out to dinner if you had to call me here.", Tom said jokingly and commandingly.

-„I apologize, Master Tom.", the one to Tom's left said, as though he hid more things to say to his companion, while both of them bowed slightly, seemingly in pain.  
-„Now if anyone can explain what happened, I'd be very thankful.", one opened his mouth to speak, the other immediately jumped in saying he should explain, calling the other a liar and a thief. Before things could come full circle, Tom interjected and commanded the one on his left to explain and the other to say his part after.

-„Thank you, Mater Tom.", the left one started,"Now I have been here for a long time under your dominion. I have pushed my stone through fire and smoke as my punishment."  
-„So, wait, you two are from the fourth circle?", Tom asked.  
-„Yes, and I have been working hard ever since I came here. I was becoming a master with my boulder, I could push it better than anybody else. I decided I needed to go further, I couldn't just be one among the many. With all my might, I pushed the boulder and never stopped.", he strained his voice in pride," I didn't even realize I was running. I passed all the others, prideful at my achievement. But I couldn't have ever guessed", the anger came back to his voice" that this sloth would be standing in my way ruining my sprint!"  
-„Don't lie! I was having a breather, that's all! I've been here longer than you and have tried that same stupid stunt! You didn't lose much by your jester act being cut in half!", the other interjected, he was patiently waiting for the moment to do so.  
-„So you admit to sabotage?"  
-„I didn't admit anything, all I said was is that you're stupid!"  
-„You bastard!", the left one went as if to grab the other by the throat even if he struggled to lift his arms up to his neck. His opponent could also barley move his, they seemed so stilted. Just when they were about to throw down, Tom stood between them, both of them quickly backing away in fear.

-„This is all great and fun guys, but what's the problem? You guys hitting each other's rock is supposed to happen and you're supposed to argue. Just as far away from this castle as possible.", Tom said clearly annoyed.  
-„The problem is, Master Tom, is that as soon as I hit this heathen at full speed, my boulder shattered into a million pieces!", a tinge of sadness was seemingly in the man's voice as he recalled what happened.  
-„And you shattered mine! All that hard work for nothing, ruined by an idiot!"  
-„Don't listen to him, Master Tom, he's just lying to pawn off all the blame! To try and not face judgment!"  
-„Judgement?", Tom asked confused.  
-„Yes, that is why we are here! So you can put this athlete to the gutter and rid him of my sight! Then I will go back to pushing my rock."  
-„It is more about you putting this dog down and me going back to sprinting with my boulder!"  
-„Don't trust him, master! He was filthy catholic priest in life. He might as well have worshiped the prince of all darkness!"  
-„And this orthodox monk just can't shut up about the evil of others! You surround yourself with it and pretend you are close to the Lord while being far away! You have invited the snake into your very home!"  
-„Why, I'll have your skin for this!"  
-„Uh, guys..."  
-„Damn you to the lowest depths!"

And so the two men continued to argue, now throwing the Lord's name in vain to get an edge over the other. They couldn't get close to each other, Tom being the wall that separated them and a wall to dangerous to touch. Over Tom's head, they threw obscenities looking into the bloody eyes of the other.

As he stood there, Tom gave a confused look to his goblin servant by the throne. The servant shrugged in unknowing to the whole situation. For as long as Tom could remember, no boulder was ever broken as two men hit each other in the fourth circle. What this meant, he didn't know. The breaking of the stone could have been, at least he thought,a chance to escape. To start a journey upward to the heavens. Tom thought it could be done, so why did these two men come here requesting to go back? And why did they want to punish the other? Were they really prideful of their torment, so much so that it could be ruined?

More foul words filled his ears. It had gone from holy damnation to just degenerate name calling. And these were apparently priests? How were they ever taken seriously? They must have had a good disguise while they chased greed. Why weren't they punished sooner, while they were still alive, so they could learn from their mistakes, just so Tom wouldn't have to hear them right now?

In truth, Tom found everything about them funny. He had concluded that irony was one of the strongest forces in the universe, constantly trying to mock all matter. Former priests begging to stay in hell. If this was the universe's will, why go against it?

-„Guys, I think I have a solution to your problems.", both men immediately stopped talking to hear Tom speak.  
-„So you both wanna go back to pushing boulder and you both want to punish the other?", both men nodded as if they were dogs.  
-„Uph, well boys, this a real trolley problem of a situation. But!", Tom raised his finger as both men followed it,"There may be a you both seem to have a competitive edge, how about a competition? And the judge to be someone with far above me?", both men raise their brows, „Now, in a very short time, the blue moon will appear. I only think the two of you deserve to be judged by nothing less. So how about this? We'll send you guys back to work and whoever's done a better job by the time the blue moon arrives, doesn't get axed."

A fire burned in the body of each man, lifting their bodies from their weak state.

-„I'll ask my boys to get you guys a nice pair of boulders so you can get started. They'll be at your posts by the time you get there."

Giving each other one last look, both men stormed out of the room and castle, somehow not crumbling on their way there. As the door slammed shut in the throne room, Tom had a smile for a job well done. Pitiful fools, the blue moon wasn't sentient, it couldn't do anything else but mystify the night. Plus, there wouldn't be another one for at least two hundred years. He knew because he saw the last one a couple of years ago with...Star. He couldn't dwell on it, he needed to do something. He told his goblin servant to get two boulders for his subjects and he started his royal duties for the day.

Tom, with a bored expression, did some miscellaneous tasks around the castle. Most of it involved either talking to one of his advisors or low level diplomacy with kingdoms or other realms. He did this for the entire morning, noon and was already on his way into the afternoon as he continued. Normally Tom would have a lengthy break in between one mind numbing task and the other. To raise his spirit before going back in. Lately, that only bored him as he had nothing not equally mind numbing to do. Countless luxuries were at his disposal and he had tasted all of them before. What was the point of them if he hadn't come back from some chaos? While he did love his time with Janna, the earth girl clearly wasn't quite ready for all he had planned across the infinite dimensions. There was seemingly no adventures anymore, nothing to chase in the wild. Tom could have went on his own, but where's the fun when you can't share it with someone?

So Tom even did the things that he had put off for he only knows how long. His motivation born out of boredom found him sitting in one of the studies of the castle doing the last thing he thought he'd do today: paperwork. He took worn out parchment after worn out parchment(people still had an affinity for it, apparently) out of a giant pile and signed off on the most meaningless tasks that made deciding how the royal garden looked king's work.

His only rest bite during all of this, was Janna's treat to him yesterday. He would sometimes pick up a piece of paper, start to read, and then go blank to the words as he remembered how she looked. . He solely thought how she looked near the end of their session Her image wasn't flattering, not to most people. He focused on how she looked tired, all naked, her hair an absolute mess of black while the scent of her sweaty body filled whatever room they were in. They went through the bedroom, the bathroom, the bath, making a mess wherever they went. No matter how much Tom gave, Janna still came at him hungry until her body gave way and she needed a rest. Janna on her knees still begging for more even after so much, opening her mouth to taste Tom again, got a bit too present in his mind. The paper he held in his hand hadn't moved in five minutes and he felt himself getting hard against his will wanting to fulfill Janna's wishes even in a different dimension than hers.

His train of thought was derailed by him seeing the handle of the entrance to the study move, causing him to haphazardly sign off on the paper with out even reading it. In came his father wearing his usual royal robes, a smile on his face.

-„Oh, doing some work, are we? What, you grounded or something?", his father said jovially.  
-„Just doing some work to pass the time.", Tom said picking up another paper.  
-„Good to hear. I just came in, did I miss anything while I was away?", his father went to the bookshelf on Tom's right.  
-„A couple of guys came in wanting their boulders replaced and to punish the other guy for breaking his?", Tom said still confused as to the why of the situation.  
-„Oh, you'll get a couple of those in your time, don't you worry. What did you do?"  
-„Gave them both their boulders back and made them compete till the blue moon."  
-„That's my boy.", Dave said with fatherly pride.

Dave then took out a large, inconspicuous looking book out from the shelf, and rather than look through it, simply laid on the table. He then put his hand to what the book hid behind, pulling out a secret bottle of Normandy, 1846. From a drawer he also got a glass where he poured the vintage wine.

-„You're not gonna save that for lunch?", Tom asked. His father always had red wine with his lunch, his only glass of the day. Despite his usual sobriety, Dave was a connoisseur of wines, collecting them from all across. He didn't want them stashed away somewhere, oh no, he wanted them hidden in the castle as a special surprise for his guests.  
-„I already had it at the Butterfly castle. I just need this take the taste of their cheap wine out of my mouth."  
-„How was it there?", Tom asked.  
-„Well, I can say they gave me a surprisingly warm welcome.", he shot his eyes to Tom who stopped writing at the words of his father, a sullen expression quick forming. He did notice his father get colder to him in the last couple of days, he just hopped he wasn't the cause of it.  
-„I'm sorry, dad.", Tom felt the guilt for ruining his father's plans come out as a soft, far too small apology. His father's face could have gone to immeasurable disappointment at that moment, instead , it went to a soft smile upon hearing Tom's quiet voice.  
-„Oh, it's not that big of a problem. Lord knows how many deals I've seen go down the gutter. I just wished you could have given me a heads up, that's all.", he put down his glass on the study table and sat down.  
-„I know, it just...came out of nowhere. It all happened in a flash.", Tom thought back to that night in the restaurant and how he yelled at Star. For some strange reason, when he tried to relive the anger he felt, he couldn't find it anywhere.  
-„It happens. Sometimes our emotions get the better of us trying to steer us in the right direction. And besides, I don't think we lost much."  
-„How so?"  
-„Well, let's just say Eclipsa isn't who we think she is.", Dave had a smile and almost chuckled as he took a drink from his glass. If there's one thing Tom had learned from his father, it's not to meddle in things he's not supposed to. His father's work proved as a great teacher for this, and if he smiled manically for no reason, it usually meant it would be best if Tom just ignored it.  
-„What about this new girl then? Joanna Ordonia?", his father asked after a moment a silence.  
-„Janna Ordonia, dad."  
-„Of course! What about her? Do you like her?"  
-„Isn't that rhetorical? I wouldn't be going out with her if I didn't like her."  
-„Oh, you'd surprised how many people love to hate someone closely. So, is she nice?"  
-„Nice?", Tom thought back to the balloons,"Well...not exactly, but I believe she's better than most. She actually seems to care about some things."  
-„What things?"

The question was simple to Tom. What it wasn't, was easy to put into words. He couldn't really understand it himself. Janna simply had an aura around her that burnt the lukewarm grays of the world. At her every step he felt there was something more to her, hidden beneath. A fiery battle inside her that brought from it her every cocky movement and jab. An endless tug of war between two unknown and unknowable forces. Tom had seen things most people in all dimensions couldn't believe. Fires that reached the skies, worlds untold and beings most unnatural. And by now in his life he had gotten bored of it like every teenager. Yet what this this human held inside her made him go excited at the very thought. Something he never even had an inkling of a thought of. Tom unfortunately wasn't so colorful in his words as here described.

-„...I'll get back to you on that.", Tom said blankly.  
-„Oh, of course, no need to hurry the relationship. So...is she nice, you know...on the surface?"  
-„Sigh, yeah she is dad, I'm not dating a troll or anything.", Tom brought his view back down to the papers after the annoying question.

Dave came closer to Tom, close enough for a whisper.

-„Now that was rhetorical son, because I saw you come in yesterday. And believe me, only one thing makes a man that beat.", Tom went immediately red in the face and he even bring himself to raise his head to catch his dad's sly grin. Dave went back to his seat, quite prideful at being an awkward father.

After a few moments passed, enough for the red to go away from Tom's face and for him to go back to work, Dave asked with a serious tone:

-„So, do you think you can actually make it with her?", the strange question made Tom raise his head in confusion.  
-„What's that supposed to mean?", he said with an irked undertone.  
-„Nothing. I just want to see how you view the whole thing.", this level of engagement from his father about his personal life was unusual, the first time he ever brought it up was the day of the restaurant .  
-„She's just interested in the occult, dad. Maybe she'll be a witch, but I don't think she would be much help around here, if that's what you're asking.", Tom said passively aggressively.  
-„Tom, I have a certain standard for here.", his father raised his hand to visualize it,"I'm only interested in the above.", he waved his other hand above,"Here you'll find princesses, wizards, demons, eldritch beasts and gods and goddesses. Anything below, I don't care for. I'm not trying to pressure you into anything."  
-„Then why ask?"  
-„Because I don't want you making a stupid decision.", Dave said bluntly. His father had this special way with words that would sometimes piss Tom off more than anything. Like he had any right to criticize him, if he really cared he would have stepped in two weeks into his relationship with Star. All the anger Tom felt was distilled in his sharp grip of the pen in his hand.  
-„Dad, don't you think most relationships fail because other people can't help but get involved in them? Maybe if people are left alone, they can make the right choice.", Tom didn't try to hide his annoyance.  
-„And do you think you can make the right choice?", his father had a stoic expression. Same as his father could piss him off, he could also clear his mind in the most unusual ways. The question broke Tom's temper and forced his mind to contemplate this new question for him; he looked at the pen he had held in anger. Silently, he had managed to make a small crack across its body with his tight grip. Dave watched in curiosity as Tom gazed at it, deep in thought.

Not confident and not timid, Tom looked his father in the eyes and said:"Yes. Yes, I can."

-„I trust you on your word, Tom.", Dave got up from the table holding his half drank glass,"And if anytime you get confused, I have some advice for you. If at any time you don't know where to go, imagine you had to spend six months with her. Then a year. Then two years. Then five. Then a decade. You'll normally find the truth there.", his father then went out through the door of the study, leaving Tom alone.

If to just appease him, Tom followed his advice as soon as he left. The problem was, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't do it. Every jump forward looked murky and uncertain, nothing to anchor down on. Tom never looked so far ahead into the darkness, where he couldn't even see where the land and sky became one. It made him uneasy this ambiguity, he had to leave it. Tom had tried to escape the paper he held in his hand with his mind. Now he tried, to no avail, to escape his mind by writing on the paper as the pen went right in two after a few letters.

Finished with work for the day, Tom went out to meet up with Janna. It was dusk when he stepped out of his portal onto her street, all the weak sunlight hidden by clouds that hung above. He walked up to her door wearing his usual suit and knocked. A few moments later, Tom saw Janna welcoming him warmly while she wore a hoodie and track pants. Janna gave him a surprised look:

-„Dude, I think you over dressed.", Tom shrugged.  
-„Believe me, with what this is suit has seen, a movie night is like the met gala."

Tom could see the TV working from the hallway as he entered. Most of the lights in the house were turned off, the living room being only slightly illuminated. He sat on the couch watching the white fuzz before him while Janna brought the popcorn and snacks.

-„You sure we won't bother your mom?", Tom asked as he took a small taste of the popcorn; it was delicious.  
-„She's still at work, she's working the night shift. Someone got sick at the grocery store and she's taking over.", Janna sat beside him.  
-„What movie are we even watching?", the white fuzz strangely made Tom sleepy, he hoped whatever they were watching would wake him up.  
-„Only the best ironic unironic then back to ironic B-movie of all time! „The Meeting of the Dead at Castle Von Frankenstein"!", Janna threw her hands up as she spoke with an evil voice, half expecting the clouds outside to produce some theatrical lighting. Alas, there would be no rain today. She put her hands back down and simply picked up the DVD:  
-„Cool.", Tom didn't have all the enthusiasm that he wanted when he said that,"You watched it before?"  
-„Loads of times. Not to spoil anything, but a certain vampire from Romania makes an appearance."  
-„Really? Huh. If he only knew how much you guys made fun of him, he would have come back decades ago."  
-„Wait, he's real?", Janna was surprised she didn't find out sooner.  
-„Yeah, but he's in retirement now. Said there's too few virgins."  
-„Well, I won't argue against that.", Janna laughed alone,"What's he doing now?"  
-„I don't know. I see him most of the time sitting alone at a royal bar, paler than any vampire should. He just seems kinda...lost", he remembered the sorrowful image, him, head on the counter, staring at his blood red drink. Never could he grasp that such a terrifying legend of the world could be brought so down by it.

-„Well at least his legacy lives on."  
-„Yeah.", Tom said awkwardly to put a dot on the conversation.

Janna put the disc into her DVD player and they were immediately hit with the cheesiest graphics the eighties could have ever made, spelling the overly long title. Their story began in the heart of Germany, a lone castle on a hill accompanied with ominous music. In truth, it was your standard B-movie horror. But it had a certain charm to it, like a bad painting of the an authentic nineteenth century village, lifting it above the sum of its parts. Both of them were invested, Janna for the fiftieth and Tom for the first. Janna had turned off the remaining lights, only the haze of the TV lighting the darkness. She rested her head calmly on Tom's shoulder, watching intently his every reaction to every best part of the movie. Now, just alone together with him, she had nothing to fear. It was just her and Tom, no one else.

Halfway through, Janna once again was took in by the movie. At this point, a female vampire appeared, the wife of Noseforatu(the plot was convoluted; they didn't care), a deathly pale woman with flowing black hair. What was so striking about her was how she dressed. She wore a black dress, and her chest was great and hung precariously while she laid on the bed to seduce the main character. Tom found the remnants of yesterday come back and he blushed a little. He inconspicuously turned his eyes to Janna to see her fully invested, not a single streak of red or a teasful wink. In the few seconds of Tom moving his eyes from the screen, he had left the movie realm and came back to his real world.

All the annoying, boring details came back to show boring, obvious truths. That this was just another movie among countless. That what happened yesterday wouldn't happen everyday and that outside of the day to day with his lover, he hadn't the faintest clue of what to do. He heard his father's words in his head, the same murkiness he felt now accompanied by the shadows around him. He lost a little enthusiasm in his eyes, through his lover beside him didn't notice. From nowhere, Janna got up:

-„Can you pause it for a minute? I gotta go to the bathroom.", she left. It took Tom a short while to find the pause button on the remote, but Janna didn't miss much. While he ate from the bowl full of popcorn, he heard a loud dinging sound coming from somewhere. It sounded like it had come from a phone, but Tom checked, he didn't get any new messages. On the table under a pile of small bits of popcorn they tossed around while eating, just barley revealed, was Janna's phone with a small light turned on. Tom felt taking it out and cleaning it was the only nice thing to do. Rubbing it clean with his sleeve, the screen turned on by Tom accidently pushing the power button on the side. Not wanting to look at anything private with how things went last time, Tom still caught out the corner of his eye as he put the phone back on the table, that Janna hadn't received a message, but a reminder from her calendar. It was already past midnight. Thankfully, the movie was reaching its end. The familiar morbid curiosty came over Tom as he thought that whatever was tomorrow, or rather today, wouldn't be anything extreme.

He saw what she marked for July the 22nd. It simply read:"Congrats. You've met the bare minimum requirement for existence. You want some presents with your participation trophy?". Confused, Tom couldn't see what she had meant. It was only after reading it a few more times did he understand. It was Janna's was just what he needed. In the same murkiness from before, he saw a small light at arms reach. He didn't know exactly what to do, but he knew exactly what he should do and that was enough to lift him and his spirit up.

Tom felt the most excited during the entire night. It didn't cross his mind why she didn't mention it to him, nor did it matter. He just had an ecstatic face being given a new challenge,to solidify their love through his own personal ritual in the late hours of the night. He heard the bathroom door opening and quickly put the phone down and wore a mysterious smile trying to hide his excitement. Janna sat beside him and immediately noticed how strange he looked:

-„What?", Tom responded to her gazing at him.  
-„Nothing. It's just you seem...really happy for some reason."  
-„And that's a crime?"  
-„Well, no, I'd just like to understand why.", Janna chuckled.  
-„Well just call me Mr. Spontaneous Joy."

Janna felt something strange in Tom's teasing. He was definitely hiding something, something that made him happier than the rest of the night. She just couldn't understand what or why. Was it something small or something big? It didn't seem worth asking for, but it was so sudden and strange it kept gnawing at her during the final act. She thought she could find out what it was by lying onto his shoulder again, listening to his breathing for the secret code he hid. Nothing came of it. She decided it didn't matter and just enjoyed the ending of the movie.

Unless...She did hear a phone go off while she was in the bathroom. He maybe, for example, got a picture from her. She could have just been his side while his „work" was actually some alone time with Star. She knew she was paranoid, but that didn't stop her from still thinking it while fully aware it was ridiculous. The sun shone, and Nosferatu turned to dust. Frankenstein and his monster celebrated to some folk music. The movie was over.

Both of them said their goodbyes, Tom now even more cheerful than before, his mind a blaze with possibility. Janna had an uneasy feeling created by herself as she went to bed that night. It disappeared when her mother came back. Well past the witching hour, Celine opened the door to her room, watching Janna pretend to sleep from the frame, and softly under her breath said „Happy birthday.". Janna went to sleep, an unnoticeable smile on her face.


	8. Princess Of the Universe

The morning was Janna's usual. She got up, had a shower, put on her regular clothes, had breakfast with her mother. When she came down the stairs, her mother greeted her with a big kiss on the cheek, Janna giving her slender body a big hug. Their talk over toast and tea was much more cheerful than normal. Her mother had a constant smile with every word she said. It was in those moments when her mother seemed to be literally bursting with life and joy, that Janna couldn't help but mimic her. Just before she left for work, her mother promised they'd do something special tonight. Janna said goodbye with a big smile. She wasn't really looking forward to today, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad. She brought her tea to the living room and sat down on the couch, closing her eyes.

Slowly, she just breathed in. Breathe in. Breathe in. Nothing else but the sweet tea in front of her.

Outside, she heard what sounded like the world's biggest pair of jeans being ripped. She ignored it, until shortly after she heard the sound of something crashing into her backyard. She ran to see what it was. In the middle of the yard was a black figure laying on the floor clutching something while a fiery portal closed above it. Janna ran to it knowing exactly who it was:

-„Tom? Are you okay?", she said to a Tom covered in dirt and filth.  
-„Yeah, I'm fine.", he said grunting while he got up,"Damn librarians, can't give me one book!", he shook his fist and cursed where the portal was that disappeared, after being launched from it onto the ground.  
-„Book? Librarians? Tom, what are you even doing here?", Janna said as she picked him up from the ground.  
-„Well, Janna, I wish the surprise could have been more elegant, but even so. Happy birthday!", Tom pulled out a book he had hid in the inner pocket of his coat of the same suit he wore yesterday.

Before Janna could even begin to question how Tom knew about her birthday, her eyes were drawn to the large worn-out leather bound tome he held with both hands. In the center of it was a a strange eleven sided star with three circles in the middle of it. Her eyes went wide:

-„No. Way! Is that „An Alchemist's Journal"? I thought it was lost to time?"  
-„Nothing like this gets lost to time. It was just kept hidden by some snobs in an infinite library. All it took was some „persuasion".", Tom handed her the book which she took with glee.

She turned page after page of strange drawings and calligraphy writing. All Janna had read from it was second hand from other scriptures, she couldn't wait to dive deep into it. Quickly reaching the end of the book and closing it, her wonder started to fade as she finally started to wonder how she exactly got it. Tom had been satisfied with himself seeing Janna flip through the book, and quite worried when Janna gave him a judgmental glare, eyes half open.

-„Tom? How exactly did you know it was my birthday?", she said in a hush, harsh tone, worse than any other way she could have said it.  
-„Well that's easy. I just...uh...I...", in truth, Tom hadn't planned this far ahead.  
-„What? Went trough my phone?"  
-„Only accidentally!" Tom said in his weak defense. Janna was nearly tempted to give him the book back, but then remembered the whole lemons and lemonade thing. Completely silent, she turned away from Tom to her home carrying the book under her arm.  
-„Janna, wait! So what if I found out it was your birthday? Shouldn't we, I don't know, celebrate it?", Tom stopped her at the sliding glass door. Janna sighed as she turned back to Tom.  
-„Tom, I don't want to „celebrate" it. I'd rather just chill out at home."  
-„On your birthday? What about your friends, won't they be coming?", Janna's eyes instantly went to the ground.  
-„Tom, if I did celebrate it, you know who I'd call.", she raised her gaze," Star and Marco. Might as well wish to go back in time. And the only other person I could call a close friend, Jackie, is bed ridden and can't leave the house. So chilling at home it is.", she left as it was nothing.

Tom watched Janna go up the stairs as he had a sullen expression.

Why did Tom have to remind her? Couldn't she get a day of peace? She loved him, she really did, it was just she needed some alone time. In fact, she was needing alone time more than ever before, knee deep into her books and rituals. At least the book would be a useful, she had to thank Tom for that. Such a valuable thing had to be kept safe, so Janna put it under her bed when she entered her room. Tom crept up from the doorway staring at her.

-„Why didn't you call me then?", Tom said in a voice Janna never heard before: quiet, soft, about to break at any moment. She let out another heavy sigh as she turned around and placed her arms on his shoulders and stared into his sullen eyes.  
-„Because, I didn't want you to get stressed out with what to get me. You shouldn't have to worry so much about me. This is already weird as is.", her voice was oddly sweet," ...But thank you. I love the gift. And you clearly went through a lot to get it", Janna smiled and Tom did the same, feeling a small bit of joy instead of the pride he expected.  
-„It was no problem Janna. But I can't let you spend your birthday like this. You were born! You exist! You should be jumping in joy about it!", Tom only knew the atmosphere of fear there was around Star's birthday and how dangerous that damn stump was. Here he had the chance to taste something new. And during that, he hoped she would join him and forget about the whole affair thing and immerse themselves in each other.  
-„I appreciate it, but I'd like to just be with you, if you're so keen on a celebration."  
-„Then won't you let me take you somewhere? Somewhere far off, just you and me for a day?", Janna felt a pang of guilt at his words. She shouldn't have lied to him, she shouldn't have unknowingly hurt him like that. Keeping it all beneath the surface, Janna agreed and pulled him in for a kiss.

Cold and still was the air where the white top mountains reigned. Only the eagles braved the chill, the only animal kings that dared to fly so high. Their pray were on the lower planes, enjoying themselves a fresh morning after a good winter's sleep. As one eagle scanned the snowy trees for pray, he suddenly saw flame. A strange beast emerged from it, and all it could do was turn to search away from the unknown threat. Tom longingly gazed at the eagle as it was lost in the wall of white clouds above. Janna emerged beside him being poked with a thousand needles on her skin:

-„Tom, it's freezing here!", she said hugging herself for warmth.  
-„Don't blame me, blame Canada.", Tom said, his breath like a miniature fog.  
-„What are we doing in Canada?", Janna's breath seemed so minuscule compared to Tom's; she was constantly breathing in a shiver.  
-„I thought since you didn't want anything extravagant, I could take you somewhere on Earth."  
-„Freezing in the Canadian wilderness isn't exactly on my bucket list.", Janna said, her arms around herself even tighter as her California body struggled to get used to the sudden change.  
-„Nor should it be.", Tom put his arm around Janna.

In an instant, Janna felt a warm fireplace appear beside her. The cold was now only there to slightly offset the warmth Tom gave her. It was a strange comfort, one she hadn't experienced before. Unlike her, she hugged Tom. Half for gratitude and half for more heat.

-„Now let me take you where we're actually going.", the two in a close embrace started walking a snowy path through the forest nearby.

It was the middle of summer, not that meant much to the snowy peaks in the north, it still seemed barren and was cold as any other time. Whatever wildlife they did see quickly turned away as soon as it saw them. A deer jumped through the trees, a fox climbed one frantically, and even a bear watched silently waiting for them to pass. It went slow as Janna couldn't resist stopping and admiring the animals and scenery. Whenever they got to a ridge with a clearing on their relatively long journey, they saw that below there wasn't nearly as much snow, the greens overcoming it. The path they were on was under heavy snow. It seemed rarely trod with almost no foot marks on it. As they walked, Tom melted some of it away under his feet leaving deep trails like of some strange folk beast. Wherever they were(Janna thought asking would ruin the blissful silence), they were quite high up. Higher than any hill around Echo Creek that's for sure.

They had been walking for maybe an hour by now. The sights were beautiful, though Janna was starting to tire a bit. Just when she thought the road would never end and was going to question Tom about their destination, just then, its top hidden by piles of white, they saw a small oak cabin, frozen and desolate.

-"You're not gonna kill me here for my birthday, are you?", Janna joked as they came closer.  
-"No, that'd be too cruel. I'd kill you on your least favourite holiday."  
-"I'd better watch out on Columbus day then."

The boards creaking and slightly bent as they stepped onto the porch. Tom quickly looked through the fogged up windows before shooting down some precariously hanging icicles on the roof. Careful not to slip on the wet surface, Tom broke the lock with a single spark and looked at Janna like a humble doorman.

-„Madam, welcome to your suite.", the door creaked open showing a cabin that hadn't seen the light of day this year.

The first room upon entering was a spacious living room connected to a small kitchen a step above it. For a small cabin, it sure was well furnished. There were two chairs and a vintage sofa surrounding a wooden coffee table with nothing on it, and a big, brown fur rug under all of them. The same type of rug could be found in the long hallway on the other end of the room which lead to the bathroom and single bedroom. The wood was all dark oak and the weak light from outside didn't do them any favours for sight. What did was Tom blasting the stone fireplace that was hidden in the darkness and lighting everything up.

-„So? What do you think?", Tom said as he picked up some spare wood from the corner and threw it on the fire.  
-„Can't say it was what I was expecting and that's a nice surprise.", Janna looked around the room noticing the tiny details that made it strangely feel like a home. Random scratch marks on the wall, stains on the sofa and the smell of vintage wood all around,"How did you even get this? I bet it must have been awkward.", she said waiting for the story of Tom calling for a reservation and being asked for his personal information.  
-„I didn't.", he looked at her pridefully.  
-„What do you mean you didn't?"  
-„I didn't call anybody to be here."  
-„So, what? We just went inside a random log cabin in the middle of nowhere, probably abandoned?", Janna raised her brow curiosity.  
-„Yup."  
-„Good work, dude.", Janna padded him on the shoulder.  
-„Well I thought it should have been done the Janna way. It is your birthday after all."  
-„Your effort won't go unnoticed.", Janna spoke like a merciful queen to her lovable slave.  
-„And this is basically it.", Tom looked around, „I thought it be better to chill out for the day where it's actually chilly. You up for it?"  
-„Hell yeah.", Janna put her arms on Tom's shoulders.  
-„Oh, wait a second.", Tom went to the kitchen area and out of one of the lower cupboards brought out a tall bottle of wine and two glasses. He poured himself a full one and Janna half. He gave her her glass, and raised his:  
-„To you.", he waited while Janna thought over was it a good idea to drink wine before even noon.  
-„You know what? Screw it! It's my birthday!", they touched glasses and each took a sip.  
-„Now, If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go find some fresh clothes. This suit is has been getting uncomfortable." Tom then went down the long hallway.

Janna just sat down on the sofa opposite the fireplace and put her glass down on the coffee table. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.

And you know what? It really wasn't. After Tom came back wearing some plain t-shirt and jeans he had found in the cabin, the two of them indulged a bit in their vine for good conversation. They talked and talked about every little thing that came to mind. After they had finished their glasses and Janna was on the edge of being tipsy, Tom thought it best to take things outside. They walked admiring the wilderness all around them once again. The far away peaks, the snow falling off ridges and the occasional wind giving the old trees a haircut. Tom would occasionally step just far away from Janna to make her feel cold again in jest. The joke wasn't lost on the shivering girl as she had a knowing smile to Tom's sly one. After that they sat down on the porch. With not a single bird or fox in their sight and in the complete silence of nature, Tom and Janna were in their own world, away from anything. Their world was comfy and homey, and the cold only served to remind them of their soft homestead in which they snuggled afterwards.

As they were in a warm embrace, Tom whispered that he needed to go get something back home, promising he would be back in a few minutes. Tom made another fire in the room as he went through his portal leaving Janna alone. The wine lost most of its effect and Janna was now just sober happy.

While waiting for Tom, Janna's happiness made her remark at just how strange everything was. She was in another country, in someone else's log cabin, with her demon boyfriend(the word was still weird to her), celebrating her birthday. Not that she wasn't thankful, she loved it so far. It was just that it came a little out of nowhere. Like, she was just swept away by Tom at her house. All of this must have been why he was so happy last night, but it was still strange. Tom isn't one to be so spontaneously and unapologetically giving, she knew this even from when she heard about him through Marco. The smile never went away; it welcomed Tom emerging from a cone of flame, holding something under his arm.

Putting it down on the coffee table, it was revealed to be Janna's favourite board game. An Ouija board.

-„Wow, nice woodwork. Definitely better than the one I got at home.", Janna inspected it.  
-„I knew you'd like it.", Tom sat down next to her.  
-„We're not going to communicate with the ghost of this place, are we?", Janna asked.  
-„No, there's no spirit haunting this place unfortunately. But there was a place fifty miles from here that housed a serial killer."  
-„Oh, neat.", Janna said with out a hint of sarcasm.  
-„No, we're going to be on the look out for someone in particular."  
-„Who?"  
-„Well, that would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it?", Tom teased.  
-„All right, I'll bite. But you don't even have any candles.", Janna noticed.  
-„I always come prepared.", out of nowhere Tom whipped out a dozen scented candles all red and the scent of cherry trees. Janna complemented him on his choice.

They put a candle on each corner of the table and lit them up. It had to be completely dark for the ritual. Tom commanded the flames of the fireplace to go away and Janna closed all the curtains. She was willing to endure the cold just to see what Tom had planned. They knelt beside the table and Tom recited an entry level occult chant to commune with the dead. Their hands were placed on the wooden lens, the tips of their fingers touching.

Patiently they waited for something. There wasn't much except the smell of the candles and the duos breath as they waited for an answer. Then, as the candles fought a strange breeze that somehow came into the room, the lens started to move slightly. It started as a snail and became a frightened worm as it went from letter to letter. It began with „N" then „A", „R" ,"I", „D". It stopped for a moment. Like a different force was its guide, it made its way to „E", forcibly stopped, and then went back to „D". The breeze now became a strong wind with no origin, sending the curtains into a frenzy and a chill to every corner. The small flames of the candles erupted simultaneously into streaks of dancing flame and joint together. They formed a pillar in front of the couple, the heat extreme. It's form became more and more defined until it was the shape of a man. In an instant, all the flames threw themselves off and disappeared, leaving a long, black haired man in only a vest and tight jeans.

Janna's eyes widened with excitement:

-„Oh. My. God! You're Ed Rothanbarry from Naridian!", the sheer cool of the man standing in front of her made Antarctica look like a dessert.  
-„Why yes I am.", the cockney man said faux humbly as he slid his sunglasses down to his nose, his eyes a light blue.  
-„The platinum selling, guitar harmonizing, binge drinking, womanizing, badass musical legend?", Janna listed off all his credentials.  
-„In the flesh. Well, not really.", Ed then put his arm on his torso, and at his wish, it went through completely.  
-„Now wouldn't have that ruined the surprise if I told you?", Janna started squeaking like all the popular girls she hated at school, and hugged Tom, making him blush a little  
-„Thank you, thank you!", she turned to Ed taking in his surroundings,"You have no idea how much I've tried to talk to you! You're my favourite guitarist of all time!".  
-„I'd knew my fans would call me back one day.", Ed took off his cool shades to let loose his ocean blue eyes, „And thank you. You mind telling that to a magazine?", Ed turned away to inspect the wood on the wall even though he couldn't touch it. He was mostly there, except for the moments where he seemed to go transparent and come back.  
-„Dude, you were so ahead of your time! You should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame right now!", even speaking to his back made Janna's enthusiasm alive..  
-„I'm probably not because I pissed off most people in the music industry. Why it was in a cabin not too different from this where I had one of my legendary substance vacations.", Ed said as he noticed the scratch marks on the wall, a strange detail materialized from his memory of the last time he was in a log cabin.  
-„You tried to be sober?", Janna asked literally begging to know more.  
-„No, it was a vacation where I took various substances.", Ed turned and corrected her, „Anyway, one night I'm higher than the Empire State Building on acid with our manager.", Ed started to regale them with his tale," Somehow in the haze, I managed to threaten him with a knife, wear a bear rug as fur and forced him to take off his clothes. Needless to say, he quit and we lost every record deal we had.", Ed posed like a genius telling a theory, hands on his hips and eyes closed with pride.

-„Wow.", Janna was just stunned she could hear the story from the man himself.  
-„It's no problem darling. I thought the two of my biggest fans deserved some stories from the road."  
-„The biggest!", Janna only meant herself.

Tom had only started listening to Naridian in the past two months. It wasn't until he heard Janna playing „My Pleasure is Pain" one day that they found common ground. Well, in the loosest sense of the word. Tom was a peasant on the ground and Janna a monk atop a mountain worshiping her black haired god.

-„Yeah, your music is fantastic, dude!", Tom presented himself to Ed.  
-„Well that's nice to hear after a few decades. What's your favourite track?", Ed checked to see if their taste was the same as his. If it was, he was in good company.  
-„Oh, „Travel Through Six Centuries"!", Janna exclaimed,"When it goes to that samba beat with a walking bass line under your guitar solo is just uh!", words eluded Janna to explain how she felt.  
-„Why thank you.", Ed drew a blank on the track, how could he remember every piece of music he ever wrote," And you?"  
-„It's a tough pick, but I gotta go with „Something To Forget".", Tom answered.  
-„The moody ballad?", Ed answered almost insulted.

He pierced Tom with his eyes for he knew a true true fan when he saw one. Tom avoided his eyes, also drawn to the scratch marks on the wall. Janna didn't seem to care too much about whatever Tom said. If she did, she would have corrected him that everyone in the band hated that song and it was only made because the studio forced them. Tom took a step back giving Janna the floor.

-„I still can't believe I'm talking to you. Your first five albums changed the way I listen to music!".  
-„Oh, you're too kind. ...Wait, what's wrong with the rest of them?".  
-„Huh?", Janna's gleeful veil broke for a second.  
-„What's wrong with the rest of our albums? We made fourteen of them you know.", Ed's voice turned.  
-„Yeah, I know, it's just I listen to the first five the most."  
-„Eh, to each his own. It's just I personally think they're overplayed, it's the rest that deserves recognition.", Ed said.  
-„I promise to listen to them later!", to Janna this was one of her most solemn vows, „They just never... stuck out to me.", she hated to admit it.  
-„Why do you say that?", Ed crossed his arms bitterly.  
-„Well they just sounded...weird...and cringy." Janna hesitated at her treacherous words.  
-„Huh! Give me one example!", Ed demanded.  
-„That time you did two techno albums? Not your best.", Janna felt she was treading on sacred ground.  
-„Speak for yourself! Some people liked those albums.", Ed put his chin up snobbishly,"And those are just two."  
-„Yeah, but even the others are, I don't know, mediocre?", Janna bit on her lip to silence herself of any more opinions.  
-„Yeah, didn't Kevin, the keyboardist, leave after the fifth album?", Tom interjected,"It just got a little samey after that.", he spoke from second hand knowledge.  
-„So what did you want? For me to make more albums with the biggest jerk I've ever met?", Ed threw his arms down in a rage.  
-„I mean...It wouldn't have to be in person.", Janna said not moving her jaw hoping her request that needed to be heeded wouldn't be heard,"You could have recorded at two different locations with out ever meeting each other. For an album. Or two."  
-„How dare y-Are-Are you rally going to argue this?", just the image made Ed furious," Is this why you brought me back? To beg for a reunion album? Well forget it!", Ed turned away.

-„Hey, not so fast, supernaut! We brought you here and we can do whatever we want with you!", Tom stepped to him,"If that's giving some thoughtful critiques on your music, you're gonna have to endure it.", Tom only made Janna more worried. The last thing she wanted was to anger Ed more in any way; she would have said something if she weren't in the mystifying presence of a personal god.  
-„Or is non-existence a better option?", Tom said not as a threat, more as a gentle reminder to Ed.  
-„Non-existence? I thought there was an afterlife.", Janna said behind Tom.  
-„Not for this guy. Dude was a certified buddhist before he died."  
-„Really?", Janna said surprised.  
-„Uh, you take one trip to Tibet and this happens..."Ed mumbled as he he faced them,"Okay, I'll stay, but no. More. Criticisms! I got enough of that when I was alive."  
-„Don't worry, I don't want anything too big!", Janna assured him,"Can you...play through some of your songs for me?", Janna tried to do puppy dog eyes that just didn't fit; Ed still realized what this meant to her thankfully. With a heavy sigh he put his arm out and an electric guitar materialized in his palm.  
-„You got any requests?", Ed said while he tuned the guitar.  
-„Yeah!", Janna opened up her Naridian playlist on her phone and gave it to Ed.

Ed slightly cringed at her selections as he hadn't played some of those songs in years. Not like he had much choice Still, he raised his foot and an amp appeared underneath it. He plugged in his guitar while Tom and Janna sat on the couch as his audience. The playlist started with the heavy opening riff of „The Devil Don't Pay No Dues", a staple in their setlist. He hit the solo perfect note for note. As he went through the playlist, he got to the forgotten deep cuts of his carrier, some hidden gems and some songs he had written in an afternoon. He barley remembered them better when he was alive. To hide this fact, Ed overpowered the phone with just random improvisations over the actual solo. Janna saw right through this and didn't mind much, she got to see her hero perform for her, though Tom sometimes would question his musical choices.

It all went well until he hit „Travel Through Six Centuries". Not only did it last ten minutes, but Ed for the life of him couldn't remember how the solo went. It was one of those moments where he hated his own genius coming up with such a complex progression that made it impossible to sound good with out practice. As Janna had it memorized note for note, the unintentional dissonances made her aware of every mistake and trip up. And upon realization, it soured the rest of the show retroactively. It was torture for Ed to make it all up on the fly, every bend he threw in reminded him that he should have practiced more when he was alive. Luckily, „Travel Through Six Centuries" was the last song in the playlist.

When the last chord hit, Ed gave one last begrudging strum of his guitar. The show had ended on the whimper, Tom was silently gazing elsewhere to avoid the awkward glare of Ed, while Janna clapped alone for her hero. Feeling the highest level of self consciousness, Ed bowed unceremoniously and him and all his gear disappeared with a small puff. Tom saw Janna staring blankly at the Ouija board. Even if the rest of it was great, the finale left her hanging in desperation. Mind blank as to what to say, Tom simply collected the board and candles off the table. Sunlight came back in as he moved the curtains, illuminating Janna still sitting still on the couch. Tom stood before her:

-„Man, there's quite a temper on that guy.", Tom tried to squeeze out the humor out while scratching the back of his head.  
-„He's a rockstar, what do you expect? Dude's probably seen more people in stadiums than most people have in their lives.", Janna raised her gaze.  
-„Well, he could have been more humble."  
-„I guess", Janna threw her eyes down, then went back to Tom again,"Tom, can you tell where's the bathroom here? Ed's entrance got me sweating up a storm here, I need a shower."  
-„The door on the left in the hallway.", Janna stood up and went out of sight.

With her now gone, Tom was free to panic. He pinched his nose as hard as he could. „Dammit, I ruined her favourite musician!", he thought to himself,"His legacy was in tact and I brought him back to ruin it! I thought I was lucky when I found out this was the place he got naked with his manager and of course I was wrong! God damn it, how could this be worse? That's it, I need to dial it back, pretty soon I'm gonna screw up aga...No, I can't. I'm not quitting now. I'm too far gone. I'll prove I can satisfy her. But with what?". From the hall, the sound of water flowing and caressing Janna's body could be heard. It then came to him. He would need to get something back home.

Janna felt the warm stream of water flow down her. Her hands went over her body with a bar of soap giving her a white sheen. It was just the splashing of water on the floor and her thoughts. Mistakenly, she turned to the glass incasing her. Her watery face was a strange sight to behold; gazing at herself she was once more sent to the back of her head. She really didn't know why she was so upset. The performance was great aside from the ending, and it was more than she could have possibly asked for. Even Ed acting like a whiny baby didn't bother her so much, she knew how his temper was. But for some reason it felt so cheap. Not just that, but the entire day. It was out of shape and didn't match to how everything looked in her head.

Why? Because she never imagined she would spend her birthday this way this year; even more, she expected her home alone celebration long before anything happened with Star and Marco. Looking months back, everything had lead to somewhere different. She didn't go to parties as often, didn't hang out with Jackie, Alfonzo or Ferguson as much, mostly spending her nights with her books in search of esoteric knowledge. It was a soft lay on the mattress of routine for her, barley noticing the change until it simply dawned on her while having dinner one night. Even the weirdest and unusual knowledge she would gleam from her books would bore her sometimes. That that person got something like this today? It felt so undeserved. She joked that birthdays were just big participation trophies, but the joke now felt too true to laugh.

All of this felt like a consolation prize. Actually, it felt like it was orchestrated to be one. A mocking reminder by something. Something that wanted to give her everything she wanted and to reveal its shallowness. A trickster in a fancy dress made to make her feel worthless. Who was she kidding? Tom knew exactly what he was doing. He had everything mapped out. The unexpected present, the tearful plea, the death of her icon. And it was all because of a certain princess.

Spotting her thoughts escaping the glass prison of her mind, Janna furiously yelled at herself that she was paranoid to wall them up again, that this had noting to do with magical clouds or narwhals. Janna hung her head on the glass. This routine was pointless, she knew that. It didn't matter what she thought, only the truth mattered. And right now, she was as far away from that as she was from home.

After forcibly anaesthetizing every thought she had about the matter, and then wiping the thought of further anesthetization, Janna somehow found a shred of peace. It wasn't like how she wanted it to be, it wasn't grandiose, nor even that pleasant, it was just there so she could find what thoughts plagued her in the quietest moments. Like an apparition above her stood the idea that why ever Tom did all this, he was doing it more for himself than her. Finally, something she could be certain of. After all the benign worries, she finally touched something concrete, the shape of a knife. A weapon was needed, she put her hand on the hilt expecting to wield it. It seared her hand and broke the thin wall of peace.

Now free, she punched the glass in a rage, regretting it immediately afterwords. The pain wouldn't stop her. She felt the answer was to do something, specifically to Tom. It was the first moment she felt pure, unbridled hatred towards him. Not to hear him moan, but to hear him cry tears of pain. Feeling herself about to blow up, Janna closed her eyes. Things couldn't get out of hand like this. She just needed to remind herself of how nice Tom is, how smooth his skin is, how strong his grip. In her mind, he was the stud he was the in the real word, naked completely. She was drawn to him, needing to feel him. All the lust she felt was combined with all the hate in close tow. Her supposed saviour was now a weak demon pleading, deserving of a beating she was fully prepared to deliver. Janna opened her eyes suddenly, feeling that train of thought was best not to be taken. Bitterly, she finished washing up and dried her hair. Might as well continue, why stop herself from getting a few pleasures today?

The last thing she wanted was to wear her sweaty clothes again. She put them in a washing machine. Still, she couldn't go about only in a towel. Inconspicuously, she went through the hallway into the bedroom across, knowing Tom wouldn't mind if he saw her like this. The main piece of the bedroom was a king's sized bed and two large windows going out to the pale snow. Out the three closets one was left open, filled with men's clothes, probably where Tom got his outfit from. Janna found in the one next to it clothes that were more fit for a teenage girl. Surprisingly there were even some t-shirts and track pants. Just in case, Janna took a hoodie with the yellow t- shirt and yellow detailed track pants. Still too hot to wear though, she tied it around her waist and tied her hair up to let it dry a bit more.

Looking in the mirror, Janna was oddly proud for making herself look so casually pretty on such short notice, almost burying her resentment underneath the costume. As she admired herself, she saw in the bottom left corner of the mirror, something strange on the bed. One of the pillows was cut open, letting out a few white feathers on one side. Janna picked one up out of curiosity. It was definitely real, and soft to the touch like nothing else. She saw why people would sleep on a pile of these. Fascinated by it, she studied it as she walked out expecting to see Tom in the living room. However, he was nowhere to be found, which seemed a occurrence for the two.  
Then in a flash, Tom appeared, again happy as he could be.

-„What, you brought a dream catcher now?", Janna willingly forgot all her thoughts in the shower. She might as well nag him later if she gets some enjoyment from it now.  
-„No, I got something much better.", from behind his back, Tom revealed some strange chainless handcuffs with a small, red eyed, demonic face for each hand.  
-„What are those?"  
-„Yeah, I felt bad for the performance turned out. I thought I could make it up to you..", Tom said flirtatiously.  
-„Oh, you wanna do it here? I can dig it.", Janna with out second thought put her hands out for Tom to cuff her.  
-„Janna, what do you think of me?", Tom acted insulted," This aren't regular handcuffs, these are magicalls."  
-„Magicalls?"  
-„These babies are meant for other things. They completely cut all power from the one who wears them. Even the strongest demons.", Janna didn't fully realize what he meant at first, then her eyebrows went up in surprise. The stunned silence was a joy to Tom's ears.  
-„So you want me to...you?", Janna thought it awkward to say. Tom simply nodded once,"Oh...Okay..."

Janna was sure surprised. She wanted to see Tom on his knees and here he was offering himself. The cuffs were handed to a blushing Janna while Tom took off his shirt in preparation. She wasn't really sure of where this was going. She wanted to have her fun with Tom, sure, but she had never tried anything like this before. She was more scared than actually aroused.

Then, as she rubbed her palm from nervous, she felt something. A remedy for all her feelings, a door that led to a land of her sole rule. The key of which she held right in her hand. In an instant her body became that of a deadly mistress as she placed her full body and chest against Tom, kissing him forcefully. Her lover seemed to enjoy the feeling of being pushed back. To serve his mistress, he courteously put his hands behind his back for Janna to imprison him. Her hands wrapped around him like a snake, Janna put the black steel to his skin, and in a flash, all of Tom's inner flames went out. Still holding him, Janna asked:

-„How does it feel to be on the other side?"  
-„For you, amazing."  
Janna then broke away. To enjoy every single second of this, she undressed him slowly. She took of his underwear revealing his flaccid cock; taking two steps back she got the full enticing picture.  
-„I'm all yours.", Tom said lustfully.  
Janna's smile wasn't so much lustful as it was hiding a laugh, and pretty soon Tom would be struggling to. She raised the feather she had hid in her hand. Tom became red as the setting sun as he was about to be turned into dust.  
-„Janna, I swear to God if you..."  
-„Too late.", she cut off his plea suddenly pointing the feather like a sword to his body.

She attacked his belly first, making Tom kneel down as a defense while a sheepish giggle came from his mouth. This only made Janna tower over him making it much easier to go for his arm pits. Tom burst out in a laugh feeling the soft feather against his skin. He tried to stay on his feet, but was soon brought down to the floor laughing. He wiggled in protest rubbing himself against the fur rug like a pig. To vocalize himself was impossible, Janna knelt beside constantly on the attack for him to say a thing against it. He moved his body in retaliation. This new form was even weaker than he thought, Janna easily had him under her thumb. Not knowing how much more he could take, Tom started crawling like a worm desperate for escape.

Janna stopped for a bit and watched for entertainment. Looks like her birthday wish had come true. Tom so wanted off his leash, it was too bad Janna couldn't have left him roam caged more. He wasn't going to make it anywhere far, he was still on the fur rug, but Janna had a knack of being too certain of victory when she shouldn't. As a precaution, she laid on the back of his legs stalling him in his tracks.

-„Be careful what you wish for.", she teased to Tom whose face was buried in the rug out of shame.

He felt one of Janna's hands take hold of his foot. He let out a small groan that only inspired Janna. Barley moving, she brought the feather to the top of his foot for minimal contact. She could hear Tom suppress a laugh behind. At a snail's pace, she moved it up and down, Tom constantly trying to wiggle his way out. He faced the rug the entire time; if he had turned his head Janna would just get satisfaction from hearing him fail to control himself, as if she didn't get that from his muffled sounds anyway.

As Tom moved his hips, he felt something rising in him. Still he moved in a hopeless battle, wiggling for a way out. As he did, he was rubbing his cock against the soft fur underneath and had gotten stiff. It couldn't have just been the friction, Tom was somehow turned on by all this. It would have been a shocking revelation for the proud prince, but now he found it hilarious. In fact, it made him laugh more than what Janna was doing. No, what Janna's soft movements did felt like she was loosely touching his manhood, making him erect even more. He wouldn't be able to hide this for much longer.

Amidst the muffled giggles, Janna heard a distinct moan come from Tom behind. She turned her head in pride, the cheery on top of her cake. Realizing the sick pleasure he felt, Tom slowly gave in, fighting the will to run away. If this was what Janna wanted, so be it. Sacrifices had to be made.

Janna could feel how Tom started to like the treatment. His hips now moved like a pendulum, making himself harder at every turn. Too bad, she wanted some more fun with him. In an instant, Janna turned herself around and furiously went at both of Tom's armpits, one with the feather and one with her hand. Tom was hit with a lighting bolt through the body, making him jump and roll on the ground. He was like a cat going round its owner's hand with his manic movements. Janna hid her laugh through out it, only cracking a smile when she let him go. Tom was still laughing on the floor in the overflow of sensation. When he closed his mouth and could see clearly again, a dominant Janna was standing over him, her hands on her hips. Tom had a slightly scared look on his face.

Janna picked him up by the arms and placed him on the couch, sitting to the left of him.

-„You know, at the start, you seemed so against this. But it looks like you're really enjoying it.", she eyed his erect cock. Tom felt shame at her gaze as she stared at the mark of her domination.

She placed her soft hands on his chin, turning him for a mercy kiss, a soft peck on the lips. As close as they could be, Janna watched Tom's eyes trembling for satisfaction, pleading for him. Not moving her gaze from his eyes, she took her hand to his cock and revealed the tip. Janna was like a mother who laughs at her child that's harmlessly stuck, while the child feared it may never see the daylight. The feather then made its way to Tom's bulging manhood simply touching the top with a single fiber. Tom grimaced as he threw his eyes down to the soft torture. Hanging precariously over him, Janna just moved the feather left and right. Left and right. Left and right with out stopping. Such a small thing made Tom feel like he was about to burst. His cock twitched in anticipation. Poor thing, he thought this was for him. Just as he had hoped he wouldn't have to endure this anymore, his mistress flew away at the last second, Tom throbbing with nowhere to go. All that came of it were the drops of precum that went down his shaft. His breathing heavy, he turned to Janna, a wicked smile on her face.

-„I'm not letting you off that easy.", after a few moments for Tom to die down, Janna resurrected him, going back to work.

Tom ignored the hypnotizing feather, he was focused solely on Janna. On how she enjoyed toying with him like this, how his own panting breath made her want more, how she bit her lip every time she got him to the edge. She did this three more times, nothing in Tom's mind but release now. She was merciful enough to give him a breather after each one. Tom was in one of his breaks sitting silently as Janna admired him.

He was so cute. He looked so lost. All he had was his mistress beside him mocking him with every turn of the feather. But he was faking it. The mistress knew all.

Like a small hill, Janna climbed Tom's shoulder until her knee was on his chest. Above his horns, she whispered:

-„Tom, why this? You could have been upfront and told me you enjoyed something like this.", he didn't, it was just he felt a strange need to serve Janna,"And you and I both know, Tom. You don't need these cuffs,", her hand went down his backside to grab his trapped hands,"you'll do this willingly."

With out fuss, the locks clicked open. Tom felt his power come back to him. It was the last thing he wanted. He fought the flames inside him, forcing them to die down. He wanted to be with Janna, to make her happy. Yet it felt strange, tying himself down like this. It had to be endured for his love. Janna went down to the couch, now hugging Tom as he had a lost expression on the inside and outside.

He closed his eyes and slowly started. Janna's arms were still around his neck, a reminder not to go too far. It wasn't long until Tom hit the cliff and had to turn back, a steady stream of precum coming out. Janna rubbed herself on Tom's body at the sight and for a while, he only felt her. She was the only inspiration he needed. He started again after it felt safe, his mind full of Janna's body.

Janna looked curiously at his face while he enjoyed himself. As she took in his face drenched in pleasure, she couldn't help but find it peculiar. What exactly was he thinking? Maybe it was the edging, but Tom seemed so willing to throw himself into the abyss for carnal pleasure. He was so hungry and so apparently happy that he was hungry. A smile appeared on his face, making Janna frown. It was such an innocent smile, nothing like when he was with her. What was so tantalizing in his mind? That made shaming himself okay? What was so pure that he would be like this? Janna knew the answer, it was her. It was as if it was hidden in his breath while he stroked himself.

Tom himself was in a land of bliss, every part of him revolving around his sun, Janna. He saw vividly her love him in the past and possible future, eliminating the chance that he could stop himself from going over now. But as the images went past, he saw ones that didn't turn him on. Just him and Janna on the beach, having dinner, going to the movies. Things to do on a Saturday afternoon in the autumn months. Above the immediate desire of his flesh, these scenes made him strangely come alive and comforted him. Small moments with her, outside everything, an insult to who ever doubt him.A true love, nothing between the lines.

As the final surge came, the only thing Tom saw was him and Janna six months from now walking amidst a barren plane on a sunny day. That was the thing that sent him over the edge, not this simple want for release. He felt like he was running, fast, towards a new sunrise, revealing all the wonders of the land. It made Tom believe with full certainty, that, yes, he could make something out of this, make Janna happy and himself whole. That his orgasm now would represent the bottle of champagne they would open on a breezy summer morning on the great beaches of the universe. And all he had to do was to jump at it, and there was no stopping it now.

Just as he felt it start, his hand was pushed away. Janna's cold and sweaty palm was around him now. Mercilessly, she put her index finger above his urethra and pushed down. The wave was stopped, only a few drops coming out as Tom strained himself on the couch.

Still reeling, Tom opened his eyes to see Janna licking her messy finger in delight. He had fallen unceremoniously and twitched a few more times desperate for fulfillment. He turned and said to Janna panting:

-„What...was...that...for?"  
-„Oh, you know. For fun.", Janna had a wicked grin on her face.

Tom had a strange look of hurt in his eyes that wiped the grin of her face. Why would he be hurt? It was just a playful tease, nothing to it...if she suppressed all her thoughts about him and Star which she did. The silence outside crept in, each of their eyes bouncing from wall to wall awkwardly. Tom got up and went to the bathroom, probably to clean up, not saying a single word. All Janna had were the cuffs that she frowned at. In a quiet rage she threw them across the room, then threw herself back on the couch clutching her head in frustration.

„You dumb broad! What's wrong with you? He did this for you and all you can think about how he's cheating on you? How petty can you be? He could probably feel it coming off of you. Why don't you start beating him because you've treated him so well before?", Janna's inside voice was beating her head in. It was one of two battling it out inside her. One the paranoid conspiracy theorist, the other an ideal Janna berating her from above. Despite these being in direct opposition, they both started from the same point. They both felt a loathing towards Janna, a kind of undeservedness of even being in her. The ideal hated Janna for not being perfect and wasting time with frivolities, the theorist painted all the hate it felt onto the world, and even existence itself. Whenever they talked, it was always the Janna sitting down that felt the pain. She had gotten numb to it by now. And being numb for minutes that feel like hours, is enough to force anyone to jump up in defiance.

„Shut up! Shut up!", she screamed internally, the words being softly mumbled under her breath,"That's it! This can't go any further! I'm just going to have to ask him. Right here, right now!", she stormed the bathroom, only for Tom to enter the hallway just as she was about to knock.

-„Janna?", Tom asked.  
-„Um...Hey!(You've spent the entire day with him, why are you saying hello?). Listen...If I made you uncomfortable with...that whole thing...I just wanna say I'm sorry."  
-„Oh, Janna it's no problem. It's just our tastes aren't the same.", Tom said with an unexpected levity to him.

Janna didn't even realize she hadn't heard any water flow from the bathroom. What Tom was actually doing, was giving him self a silent pep talk in the mirror. It was one of the few things his therapy sessions gave him that actually helped him.

He would stare at himself dead on, point his finger commandingly and say whatever needed to be said. Sometimes, it felt impossible to lie to himself like this, to positively spin an endless spiral into an abyss. Janna literally blocking all his dreams was one truth that seemed to deep to bury. Tom was just about to smash his fist into the mirror letting all his anger flow from the wounds he'd have. Then, in the endless webs of thoughts he had, appeared a small sign. It was just a single word he was afraid to forget:"Try.". He brought his hand down and recollected himself. All he had to do was try and everything would be okay.

So he was back to his usual self, something that scared Janna, as she was prepared to face a distraught Tom, not to be blindsided like this.

-„Oh, okay, good.(Great sentence there, cheif.)", Janna said disconnected form where she stood,"I was just wondering...Can I ask you something?", Janna rubbed the back of her neck nervously.  
-„Sure you can."

Tom's eyes were unreadable, Janna couldn't see past the veil, if there was one. She wanted to know the truth, how he actually felt. But she couldn't break the walls of her skull and meet him there. She was just worried. Worried it was true, that he still held her close in heart. Worried it wasn't true, that she was just a petty lover through and through. It had to be done, there was no other way. She readied herself and asked:

-„What do you want for lunch? I saw some meat in the freezer that I could cook up.", she put her hands back innocently like a school girl.  
-„Oh, sure, we can eat. Just let me get dressed. Unless you want me like this.", Tom said the line with out the flirt it needed, making it fall flat.  
Janna laughed awkwardly.  
-„No, you just worm your little guy up haha (It really is a wonder you ever got laid, you know that?)", Tom paid it no mind and went down the hallway.

Janna would ask him later.

The rest of the day was pleasant, if awkward in subtext. After Janna insisted that Tom let her cook lunch(her mother taught her well), the two had it with friendly conversation. Time had apparently stopped for Tom when they got here, as he was just as happy as he was then. The fact Janna couldn't tell if it was forced or genuine secretly made her legs tremble.

After lunch the two them went outside again for a walk through the places they missed last time. Janna almost wanted to retract into the hoodie she was wearing she found it so that unbearable standing with Tom in cursed ambiguity. If nothing else, she at least wanted to make it up to Tom for her literal cock block, in a way that would benefit the bot of them.

As they were walking an open plane of snow, she gave certain cues to let Tom know she was sorry, in a way that had begotten her serving whatever need she had cut off. A certain movement in her hips, a cheeky wink, her tired sighs inconspicuously being moans, all that to let Tom she was ready to be thrown around in the cold while below him. Tom didn't, nigh, couldn't seem to notice these cat calls from her, like he had went celibate in the past hour. The Tom she knew would have pounced on her by now. She didn't cause that bad of an impression, did she? She would have been more direct, of course, but she feared that Tom might actually reject her out of spite. A hard „No." to come from his lighthearted face.

The more they walked, the more Tom's joy pissed Janna off. Couldn't he just say what he meant? She needed to go get away from him, she couldn't stand to be beside him. Calling like a beacon into the dead night, from the unkempt parts of herself, she summoned her adventurous spirit and demanded an escape.

She told Tom she wanted to explore a bit more and wanted the cold as a challenge. Tom contently agreed. Tom kept trudging his own path while Janna ran out of sight over the hill. There, she saw mountain tops, ridges and drowsy trees. The breath taking sights were meant to calm her, if it weren't for her mind backpedaling the same ideas she had at the cabin. She went to a precarious edge to watch over the quiet wilderness. Just to watch, never to immerse herself. It was far too dangerous, for every thing she saw had the same thoughts as he. What she needed was a barrier, something to keep the world out while she safely watched. Maybe it had to also be in her head that barrier, as she currently had no control over it, all there was was her freezing body shivering.

Taking a step to somehow get closer to the heart of the wild, Janna slipped and slid down the ridge. She didn't injure herself luckily. She still felt a little bit of pain from the snow that clung to her body like ice. Since one view didn't work, Janna searched for another, running not to feel the cold on her skin. Time and time again she couldn't grasp the beauty of what she saw and earned herself a few more trips and tumbles, although by now, she stopped feeling any cold.

All this frost and the unpleasantness it caused stuck to her only made her think how it should have been Tom giving her the feeling. His cold revenge served on her. Instead, he was smiling. Maybe lying, maybe hiding something, maybe not, but definitely smiling in obliviousness.

Feeling a nearby heat in her trek towards another hill, she finally made it back to Tom. Upon seeing her, he was quite a bit worried with her state. She was shivering while also sweating through her shirt. She asked him what she had been doing. Janna simply answered nonchalantly:"Just wandered a bit ,why?". Tom simply took her nervous antics as the Janna way of doing things, nothing more. With her under his arm, they walked back to the cabin. Janna was in bliss with him by her side finally feeling some heat, yet she also felt something tempt her to go a step ahead, to leave him. Before she could make a decision, they made it back to the cabin, changed clothes and were on their way back home.

Golden was the sky upon their return. Janna felt the familiar air once again and its attack on her northerner for a day body. Tom was walking her to her door as a another one of his gentlemanly gestures. Janna turned to Tom on her door step:

-„Thanks for today, Tom.", Janna smiled as best she could.  
-„Oh, no worries. I'd do this for you any day.", Janna felt his words were hollow, along with what she wanted to say to not make Tom question anything. She hated small talk, especially prolonging the talk until it was okay to say goodbye.  
-„Well, I guess, goodbye then.", she simply skipped ahead not knowing what to say. She turned to open her door.  
-„Oh...Goodbye.", Tom expected the Janna who ran through snow shortly ago to still be here, but she had left.

Janna unlocked the door. She just barley saw inside when it dawned on her that the footsteps behind her meant Tom was leaving. More than whenever she was up north, she was frozen still. If she couldn't prove anything, then at least she could prove herself.

A hard slam came from Tom's behind and Janna ran into his arms when he turned. This was the Janna he liked, a dark girl with a heart of gold fully giving herself to him. With her head on his shoulder, he didn't notice that there wasn't a single sign of joy on her face, more sorrowful dread, nor could he tell her tight hug from one of love or desperation. Janna felt both. She wanted to feel close to him, to be beside him, to be his. But she couldn't if she didn't know he was hers. If the sun set now, it would never come up again. Neutralizing her turbulent emotions, she pulled away from Tom gazing at his feet.

-„Tom, I know it might be selfish, but, can I get another present?", Janna said scared.  
-„Um...sure. Is it anything big?", Tom asked.  
-„No, just an answer to a question."  
-„Alright then, shoot."

Before her head could spiral into a small cage, before she could convince herself to back out once again, Janna forced her body to raise her head to Tom and say those words she feared:

-„Tom, did you...want to marry Star?"

All the steps Tom left in his wake caused his shadow to finally find him. Whatever he speculated she could have asked, it wouldn't have prepared him for this. It was as if he had forgotten, and now had come back from his voluntary amnesia. What could have he possibly said besides:

-„Uh..."  
Just his prolonged mumble was enough to cement Janna's fears. It was okay, she expected it. What she also expected was for Tom to give her an answer after that.

-„Well...It's not that simple..."  
-„What isn't simple?", Janna felt a single drop of rage overflow into her fear.  
-„Well the question. It's a bit gray. I can't give you a straight answer.", Tom deflected.  
-„Tom. Did you or did you not want to marry Star? There's no inbetweens.", Janna said, her voice strong again.  
-„Why do you even want to know?", Tom acted out his innocence.  
-„I think it's my right as your girlfriend to know.", Janna really meant it was her responsibility.  
-„Why? Why does it matter? You're getting agitated over nothing.", Tom snapped back.  
-„No, you're trying to convince me it's nothing. If it really was, you'd tell me by now.", Janna said commandingly.  
-„Janna, I really don't see the po-„  
-„Tom just tell me the truth!", she cut him off.  
-„Fine, I did! I wanted to marry Star! You happy now?", Tom's usual self now burst through in a bitter rage at Janna; even though, she was expecting it, it still scared her a bit.  
-„I thought...I could make it up to her.", Tom's voice cowered, realizing his grave mistake,"I thought...if i tied myself to her like that, she wouldn't leave.", as told this he saw at the syllable that it was idiotic folly. He couldn't bare to say another word.

Janna was like stone. As soon as he refused to answer, she knew what would come of it. Her disappointment at the fact didn't pass her by until after his outburst, with both of them standing in a silence that lingered of their sudden, immediately passing hatred. Tom fully knew how it all seemed, he couldn't bring himself to look Janna in the eyes.

-„When did this become a thing?", Janna said with pity.  
-„The day of the restaurant."  
-„Why then?"  
-„Because, because...I betrayed her. I should have just tried.", Tom didn't even think about where he was. The only thing he was aware of was the bitter relief of each word in his confession. Janna, however, was completely numb.  
-„Why didn't you tell me sooner?", Janna said quietly without emotion.  
-„I didn't think you'd care.", Tom said turned away.  
-„Of course I care.", Janna's soft side came back.  
-„Why? Are you afraid I still got something for her?", Tom put everything Janna thought into one sentence.  
-„...Do you?", she said in the silence afterwards.  
Tom's mental house of cards came crashing down. Despite knowing how much he wanted Janna, this never crossed his mind.  
-„O-Of course I don't!", Tom said angry,"I'm with you now! You don't actually think that, do you?", Tom asked with uncertainty in his voice.  
-„I don't know! I don't know anything! All I know is I can only get the answer from you!", Janna pleaded,"And you answered me!", she tried to claim a victory, even if a small one..  
-„Is-Is this why you were so strange today?", Tom's mind was racing,"" Why you couldn't enjoy your birthday?... Why you ruined me giving my self to you?!", all the pain kept in the mirror, now shattered, came through.  
-„I was just paranoid!"  
-„Paranoid?! I'd thought you hated-„, Tom quickly took a few deep breaths and counted to ten in his head. He then held his head in frustration.  
-„Tom, it's really not a big deal-„  
-„Forget it! We'll talk about this later!", Tom turned away. If he didn't leave now, who knows what he would have done.

Quickly, he made a portal and jumped through. Janna's hand just barley missed his as he left. She had her hand out still after he had gone, not fathoming he wouldn't come back. All the immeasurable rage and sorrow she felt so closely tied, cancelled themselves out leaving her with nothing. It turned out the spiral she thought she was on was just a familiar flat circle between anything life like. She expected tears, but even they failed to emerge. Nothing to do, she walked up to her door.

She wanted to get mad at Tom, oh how she wanted. But she knew the cold truth. This was because of her. Everything that's happened in the past few weeks had been because of her. She made the decision to sleep with Tom and she made him experience everything that came with being her boyfriend. It felt oddly safe to think this. To imagine that she had all the power to make this happen. In a way, if she found some new motivation, she thought she could fix things with him. This will pass, as everything will. And in the meantime, while she waited for her own ending of this story, she could at least get some good times from it, even with all the drama. For now though, she simply went back home.


End file.
